Bahrain’s growing reliance on desalination to meet rising water demand and the sector’s development over the past 70 years were reviewed at a recent seminar.
The event was hosted by the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani Chair in Geographic Information Systems and the Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa Chair in Technology Management at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) in Manama.
The seminar, which is part of AGU’s postgraduate course Selection and Deployment of Technologies, was delivered by engineers from Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority.
Abu Jarjoor Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant head Khaled Hashem and plant operations officer Fadhel Salman spoke about desalination technologies, highlighting Bahrain’s experience and showcasing the plant as an advanced model of reverse osmosis technology.
Speakers gave students an overview of water sources and the distribution of desalination plants, linking these to population growth and development needs. The seminar also examined key desalination technologies used locally and globally. The main stages of desalination were also outlined, from seawater intake and treatment to the production of drinking water.
The session concluded with a discussion on challenges facing the sector, including energy efficiency, operational costs and environmental concerns related to brine discharge.
Future opportunities were also explored, such as using renewable energy to improve efficiency and support long-term sustainability.
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