Middle Eastern Water Imports: Which Countries Buy Water?

Several Gulf states import physical water (not just desalinate) due to extreme scarcity:

Confirmed Importers

• Kuwait: Imports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE via pipeline/truck
• Bahrain: Imports from Saudi Arabia (undersea pipeline from Al-Khobar)
• Qatar: Imports from Saudi Arabia (pipeline from Ras Al-Khair)
• Oman: Imports from Iran and UAE (tanker/truck)
• UAE: Imports from Iran and Oman (despite being a major desalinator)

Why Import When You Can Desalinate?

• Energy cost: Desalination (RO) = 3-4 kWh/m³. At Gulf electricity rates, imported water can be cheaper.
• Redundancy: Plants fail; pipelines diversify supply.
• Peak demand: Summer/Hajj/Ramadan spikes exceed plant capacity.
• Quality blending: Mixing sources manages mineral content.

Scale

Bahrain imports ~15-20% of supply. Kuwait: ~10-15%. Volumes are modest vs. desalination (Gulf produces ~40% of world's desalinated water). But the trade exists—and involves tanker ships, pipelines, and trucking across borders.

Future

GCC Water Grid (proposed) would interconnect all six states. Solar desalination dropping costs. But for now, water crosses borders in pipes and tankers—one of the world's most essential commodity trades.