Qatari leaders aim to tackle Doha's rising groundwater problems

Leaders from Qatar's public and private sector recently marked international Earth Day by coming together to discuss the major environmental threat the Gulf nation’s rising water table poses.

The gathering was hosted by local company Uniquip-Hoelscher LLC, with a workshop by prominent experts who discussed the various risks connected to groundwater issues.

The rising water table under Doha poses a threat to drinking water, fish stocks and public health as pollution enters the area’s groundwater. Some of that pollution also makes its way out to sea.

On top of the health and environmental risks, the rising groundwater is a difficulty for Doha’s major infrastructure projects.

"Development, leaks from older infrastructure and seawater intrusion have resulted in a rising water table under much of Doha," Patrick Linke, chair of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University Qatar, said. "This issue poses technical challenges and greatly increases the risk of polluting the sea and groundwater as construction projects pump water from sites."

Experts also demonstrated the cutting-edge groundwater treatment systems being used by Uniquip-Hoelscher for the construction of the Doha Metro’s Gold Line. The technology clears groundwater out of construction areas while also purifying the water to prevent industrial chemicals from entering the places the water is pumped to.

Addressing the pollution and rise of Doha’s water table in a way that protects human health and the environment is part of Qatar’s National Development Strategy. The task is delegated to Qatar's Permanent Water Resource Committee, which is working across governmental organizations to set standards and regulations.