Bahrain has an arid to extremely arid climate. It is characterized by very hot summers and relatively mild winters. Mean air temperature fluctuates between 14oC and 41oC. There are two seasons: winter extends from November to April and summer lasts for the rest of the year.

Non-conventional water resources in Bahrain consist mainly of desalination and treated municipal wastewater. Industrial wastewater and irrigation drainage water do exist, but their volumes and utilization are relatively minor.

Faced with groundwater quality deterioration and escalating municipal water demand, the municipal water authorities implemented a policy that in the mid-1980s started to reduce the reliance on groundwater in the municipal water supply by increasing desalinated water input to meet the standards of drinking water.

Figure 2 illustrates agricultural water consumption for the period 1979-2010. The sharp drop in agricultural water consumption (starting from 1998)

Bahrain does not have dams, centralized irrigation systems or large wellfields. Its water-related infrastructure consists mainly of desalination and wastewater treatment plants.

The establishment of the WRC has consolidated the water resources management agencies. In 2017, the WRC started formulating a comprehensive, integrated, national water policy and strategy based on integrated water resources management principles.

Inefficient water use in the agricultural sector represents the main water challenge in Bahrain. Irrigation methods, dominated by flood irrigation,

Until recently, Bahrain pursued a policy of supply augmentation and maximization to reduce the gap between available water sources and escalating demand in the municipal water