The Shuaiba industrial area (SLA) is the first industrial complex in Kuwait and is considered the largest industrial area in the Arabian Gulf. Presently, there are 12 major industries including two petrochemical companies, three refineries, two power plants and an industrial gas corporation. They generate some 23,000 m(3)/d of industrial wastewater which is discharged directly into the Arabian Gulf without extensive treatment, in addition to 3000 m(3)/d of sanitary wastewater. The four main components of wastes in the SIA are large-volume cooling water, lower volume but high-to-low strength process wastes from refineries and petrochemicals, and sanitary wastes. In addition, future expansion in the refineries and secondary industries in the area will result in greater pollution of the seawater and thus affect the productivity and quality of the seawater. There are now plans to reduce pollutant discharges from the SIA - thereby improving water quality in the SIA marine area - and to maximize the potential for beneficial reuse of wastewater from the SIA. This paper will discuss the steps which have been taken by the Shuaiba Area Authority (SAA) to utilize the wastewater, as well as presenting the industrial wastewater management program in the SIA.