Fewer still have entertained the prospect of a time when water is neither cheap nor ubiquitous.
Top-down policies and precautionary measures might offset the problem but what is needed is a shift in public perception.
Currently, water is viewed by too many as plentiful and dispensable rather than an essential and precious resource.
Its usage in Abu Dhabi is currently rising by 9.5 per cent annually.
It behoves us all to limit our personal consumption by taking measures such as having shorter showers and not leaving taps running to ensure this country never falls victim to acute water scarcity.
The UAE’s primary water sources are groundwater, desalinated water and treated wastewater.
The former accounts for 51 per cent of the country’s needs but the ancient aquifers that house it are rapidly emptying.
Some shrewd action has been taken.
Yet if consumption continues to rise, these steps could prove limited.
Water scarcity is one of many environmental challenges facing countries in this region and beyond.