Irrigation water quality is important to sustain agricultural productivity. The primary irrigation water sources in Al-Ahsa Oasis, KSA, are groundwater wells, mixed with treated wastewater and agricultural drainage. This study sought to evaluate irrigation water quality in Al-Ahsa Oasis with the aid of using irrigation water quality indices (IWQIs). One hundred and forty-eight different water samples were collected from various irrigation water resources throughout Al-Ahsa Oasis. The investigated physiochemical characteristics include pH, temperature, TDS, EC, turbidity, free chlorine, total hardness, cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg), anions (Cl, CO₃, HCO₃, SO₄), organic matter indices (DO, BOD, COD), and nutrients (NH₄, NO₃, PO₄). The IWQIs used in this study include salinity hazard, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelly’s ratio (KR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), Permeability index (PI), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and magnesium hazard (MH). The results indicated that treated wastewater mixed with groundwater is acceptable for irrigation. Spatial variations in irrigation water quality throughout Al-Ahsa are associated with water resources. For instance, groundwater mixed with agricultural drainage has the highest values of TDS, cations, and anions, whereas the lowest values were reported for treated wastewater, reflecting the good efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. The IWQI results revealed that 4.1% and 62.1% of the investigated irrigation water samples were considered good (class III) and satisfactory (class IV) for irrigation, respectively, whereas 33.8% of the collected water samples fall within the severe irrigation restrictions. Moreover, 79.7% of the investigated water samples were classified to have high to very high salinity hazards (C3, C4) and medium to high sodium hazards (S2, S3). Regular monitoring and assessment of treated water quality and wastewater treatment plant efficiency are important factors in achieving the sustainability of treated wastewater reuse in irrigation and consequently food security.

This paper examines public acceptance of reusing tertiary treated wastewater for agricultural purposes in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire from adults in the Al-Ahsa Governorate. A total of 344 eligible participants completed the survey. The results show that 77% of the participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. Most participants supported reusing treated wastewater because they trusted the authorities responsible for wastewater treatment and because it will augment water resources in Al-Ahsa. Participants who did not support reusing treated wastewater attributed their lack of support to health risks associated with reusing treated wastewater and for psychological reasons. Additional analysis for eight different agricultural applications showed that most participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater in applications with no direct connection to them (e.g., irrigation of public parks, green spaces, and woody trees and irrigation of animal feed crops). However, less than half of the participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater for other applications, especially for the irrigation of leafy green, raw, and cooked vegetables. Therefore, raising public awareness about the safety of reusing tertiary treated wastewater in agriculture should be a priority for authorities responsible for water management in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia faces rising urban water demand, yet significant regional disparities in daily per capita consumption persist despite uniform national pricing and policies. This study aims to identify the drivers of these disparities across the kingdom’s 13 administrative regions. We analyzed data on water consumption, climate, socio-demographics, property characteristics, environmental awareness, and institutional factors using descriptive statistics and correlations. Results indicate notable consumption variations, with Riyadh and the Eastern Region exhibiting the highest levels, while Asir, Jazan, and Najran exhibit the lowest. Appliance ownership—particularly washing machines (r = 0.75) and Western-style toilets (r = 0.77)—along with access to public water services (r = 0.73), and higher incomes (r = 0.58), positively correlated with increased usage, whereas, younger populations (r = −0.76), reliance on water tanks (r = −0.71), and attitude towards water scarcity (r = −0.69) were associated with lower consumption. Conservation practices showed mixed effects on water use. Overall, regional disparities are primarily driven by property characteristics, environmental awareness, and socioeconomic factors rather than climatic influences. This suggests a need for regionally tailored water policies that complement national standards. Addressing these variations will enable policymakers to design targeted water management strategies that balance consumption needs with water availability.

This study investigates the public acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for nuclear energy in Saudi Arabia, a country seeking to diversify its energy portfolio under Vision 2030. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey of 403 residents, the research employs descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and a SWOT analysis to explore the socio-economic and perceptual drivers of public attitudes. The findings reveal that 82.4% of participants support nuclear energy, with a mean WTP of 38.2% of their monthly electricity bill for its development. Key factors positively influencing acceptance include age and knowledge about nuclear energy, while environmental concerns and being married are associated with lower support. Notably, trust in government oversight (64.8%) and the prospect of a new energy source (62.7%) are major reasons for support, whereas health and environmental risks (74.6%) are the primary concerns for opponents. This study provides crucial, evidence-based insights for policymakers, marking the first Saudi-specific research to jointly examine WTP, acceptance determinants through econometric modeling, and strategic implications via SWOT analysis, highlighting the need for targeted public engagement and transparent communication strategies to address public concerns and ensure the successful and sustainable integration of nuclear energy into Saudi Arabia’s energy mix.

A total of 379,834 people visited Ras Mohammed National Park in 2020/21, most of whom snorkelled or dived to see the coral reefs. Current management frameworks seem to be insufficient to tackle the increasing visitation, underlining the need for a holistic approach for integrated planning. The objective of this article is to analyse the application of the various elements of the most evolved expanded derivative of the DPSIR framework, (D(A)PSI(W)R(M)) (drivers, activities, pressures, state, impacts, welfare, responses, and measures), in relation to reef conservation and to elucidate how the framework might improve reef management in the park. To achieve the abovementioned objective, documentation on Ras Mohammed was reviewed, a selected sample of stakeholders were interviewed, and the park was visited to assess its assets, ecosystems, resources, facilities, regulations, ongoing visitation system, links between social and ecological systems, and the effectiveness of management. The main drivers were analysed and introduced, and a number of actions and responses were recommended depending on the framework analysis. The results of this study can guide the preparation of a management and restoration plan for reef sites and integrated coastal zone management.

Water is the essence of life. It possesses profound spiritual and cultural importance, and serving as an indispensable requirement for the achievement of sustainable development. Access to safe, sufficient, affordable, and reliable drinking water is a human right. Water advisories can be used as an indicator of the reliability of access to safe drinking water. The objective of this article is to explore the trends and characteristics of boil water advisories (BWAs) and the reasons behind them. Visual and statistical tools were employed to describe the drinking water advisory data in Kentucky (USA). The dataset covers all counties in Kentucky for 17 years from 2004 to 2020 and contains 378 water systems and 36,673 BWAs. The average duration of BWAs was 5 days. The number of BWAs issued increased, while the average duration decreased during the study period. More BWAs occurred in the summer months (29%), in surface water (92%), and in large systems (54%). The leading factor for issuing a BWA was because of a line break or a leak (87%). It is imperative for governments, organizations, and communities to collaborate to address these issues effectively. Investing in sustainable and resilient water infrastructure is crucial to ensure access to safe water.