Evaluation of desalination and other strategic management options using multi-criteria decision analysis in Kuwait

Water is essential to life sustainability and the development of industry and agriculture in Kuwait. Kuwait is faced with water shortages, because of the scarcity of the natural water resources; well-developed supply infrastructure; and the practice of expanding irrigated agriculture and industrialization. This paper describes how to evaluate different management options and policies on the strategic level that can lead to secure and sustainable water resources management in the future for all water users in Kuwait. Possible interventions/management options are identified and evaluated using a decision- support tool based on a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodology. This paper is the first of its kind to use trade-off between different management options and strategic policies in Kuwait. The results showed that desalination using renewable energy technologies was ranked highly, despite its economic cost and environmental impact but there is also a need to implement widely other options. Wastewater Reuse for agriculture was ranked first overall in the MCDA. Most brackish water supply to the agricultural sector should be replaced by treated wastewater. Other options such as virtual water, water demand management and changes in agricultural policies should be prioritized because of their socio-economic and environmental benefits.