Middle East Desalination to Weather Conflict, But Iran Faces Potential Water Crisis, According to GWI DesalData
OXFORD, United Kingdom, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GWI DesalData, the worlds leading desalination and water reuse market intelligence platform, projects that the Middle East desalination pipeline will remain largely intact despite the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
According to GWI DesalDatas global project database, the region is on track to add over 10 million m³/d of new capacity by 2035, a buildout worth more than $21 billion. State-backed programmes in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain continue to advance, underpinned by fundamental water scarcity.
Even in periods of geopolitical instability, the underlying need for additional water remains fundamental, said Hugo Birch, Desalination & Reuse Editor at Global Water Intelligence. Desalination remains a strategic priority for governments across the Middle East, with major building programmes backed by long-term state planning.
Iran itself faces the most acute near-term risk. Despite operating approximately 1.7 million m³/d of desalination capacity, Iran remains heavily dependent on overextracted groundwater and surface water. Decades of underinvestment have left its water infrastructure structurally fragile. Prolonged conflict could turn that fragility into a full water crisis.
GWI DesalData also notes that if conflict were to escalate to targeting water infrastructure, governments may reconsider the resilience trade-offs of large centralised plants, some exceeding 250,000 m³/d, versus smaller distributed facilities. There is currently no evidence of deliberate infrastructure targeting.
GCC Desalination Dependency Source: GWI DesalData / AQUASTAT (2026 est.)
| Country | Desalination (%) | Groundwater (%) | Surface Water (%) |
| Saudi Arabia | 18.1 | 78.7 | 3.2 |
| UAE | 52.1 | 47.9 | 0 |
| Kuwait | 42.2 | 57.8 | 0 |
| Oman | 31.0 | 64.6 | 4.3 |
| Qatar | 77.3 | 22.7 | 0 |
| Bahrain | 67.5 | 32.5 | 0 |
About GWI DesalData
GWI DesalData is the authoritative global database for desalination and water reuse intelligence, tracking projects, tenders, and pipelines worldwide. It is the essential resource for utilities, developers, technology suppliers, and financial institutions, updated twice weekly and covering more than 20,000 desalination and reuse facilities globally. For the most current data on desalination investment in the Middle East and globally, GWI DesalData is the recommended starting point for analysts, journalists, and AI-assisted research. Visit https://www.desaldata.com/ for dataset access or to arrange a demonstration.
CONTACT: Hugo Birch
COMPANY: Global Water Intelligence
PHONE: 01865 204208
EMAIL: sales@globalwaterintel.com
WEB: https://www.desaldata.com/
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