The Sojourner

You are probably aware that water is a prized commodity, whether it is in South Florida or in the Arabian desert.  Here in Dubai we boast one of the highest water consumptions in the world.  Daily usage is in the order of 750,000,000 liters per day (200,000,000 U.S. gallons).  Over half of that comes from desalination of the waters of the Gulf.  Here is what 550 liters per person per day makes possible.




It does not look like desert does it?

It is also worth noting that the people living in the Emirates are among the thirstiest people on the planet.  With an annual per capita consumption of 265 liters of bottled water, we are staying well hydrated.  Most of this water comes from underground springs in the mountains.

Regardless of this conspicuous consumption of water, it is used for the maximum effect.  Virtually all watering is by ground level or subterranean drip irrigation.  Even the plants growing alongside the roadways are hydrated in this manner.  (These greenbelts along the highways serve to hold back the shifting desert sands.)  The relatively lush vegetation is a haven for many species of native and transient birds.  One of the early acts of Sheik Zayed (the founder of the modern Emirates) was to import over 100,000 birds to populate the kingdom.

The greatest drawback of creating this abundant fresh water is the energy required to pump and purify it.  This sin is shared by anyone with exorbitant water demands, whether it is a kibbutz in that country to the north of here or a booming community in Florida or Arizona.  Reality is that there is no such thing as a drought if you are wealthy enough to be able to alter nature.  Tell that to those poor sub-Saharan nations.