From East to Capital: Saudi Arabia Fortifies National Water Grid with Major Infrastructure Push

Driving the news: The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) is pressing ahead with new transmission lines from the Eastern Province to Riyadh. The authority is also building storage systems inside the capital to support supply across the city.

SWA President Eng. Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim toured several projects in both regions. During the visit, he reviewed construction progress on pipelines, storage sites and water production systems.

Why it matters: Riyadh keeps growing, and Saudi Arabia is moving more desalinated water inland to meet that demand. The new pipelines will add about 1.2 million cubic meters of water a day for the capital.

The bottom line: By linking Gulf desalination to the capital, Saudi Arabia is strengthening a supply chain that serves millions of residents.

One Strategy, Clear Roles

The big picture: Saudi Arabia is strengthening its water security through the National Water Strategy. The Kingdom also restructured the sector and gave each player a clear role and target along the supply chain. As a result, production, transmission and storage now move under one plan.

The new lines follow that approach. They connect the Gulf coast, where desalination plants operate, with Riyadh, which sits inland and keeps expanding.

Zoom in: The Eastern Province already offers a strong base. SWA said in February 2026 that three new plants lifted the province’s desalinated water production capacity to 3 million cubic meters a day. Moreover, transmission capacity there rose by 190% and storage capacity by 140% compared with earlier levels. Those gains give the Riyadh lines more water to carry.

Riyadh has relied on this corridor before. In June 2022, the capital’s governor inaugurated the Jubail–Riyadh transmission system, which the Kingdom described as its largest, with a capacity of 1.2 million cubic meters a day. The latest works build on that foundation.

What the Tour Covered

Al-Abdulkarim visited water production systems, transmission lines and storage facilities. He examined how each stage supports the others. In particular, he looked at how the system balances production, transport and storage.

That balance matters for three reasons:

• It prepares the network for sudden changes in demand.
• It keeps water flowing under different operating conditions.
• It protects reliability when the population and the city grow.

SWA says the projects will increase operational flexibility in water supply. In addition, they will help production and transmission systems keep pace with demand growth. Consequently, residents should see a more dependable service.

By the numbers:

• 2 million m³: extra daily water allocated to Riyadh under the new works.
• More than 10%: drop in energy consumption from national engineers’ design solutions, compared with the previous four years.
• 3 million m³ a day: desalinated water production capacity in the Eastern Province.
• 190% and 140%: increases in transmission and storage capacity in the Eastern Province.
• SAR 16.17 billion ($4.3 billion): value of 117 water and environmental projects allocated to the Eastern Province.
• SAR 998 million ($266 million): masterplan to expand Riyadh’s water supply capacity, including the Riyadh Northern Ring transmission system.
• SAR 1.7 ($0.45): cost SWA’s president has cited for desalinating one cubic meter of water.

Saudi Firms and Engineers Lead the Build

Saudi contractors design and carry out these projects. Meanwhile, national technical and engineering teams supervise the work. This approach showcases local capability in major water projects. It also builds domestic expertise in infrastructure and operations.

The engineers’ design solutions already deliver results. They cut energy consumption by more than 10% compared with the previous four years. Therefore, the projects save water and power at the same time.

Riyadh’s own network is expanding too. In September 2025, SWA appointed a main contractor for package B of phase one of the Riyadh Northern Ring water transmission system, in a contract worth $146 million (about SAR 548 million). Together, these works show a steady pipeline of investment around the capital.

What’s next: The tour forms part of SWA’s regular follow-up on infrastructure progress. The authority wants production, transmission and storage systems to work as one network. In turn, this approach supports efficient operations and a reliable, continuous supply for customers.

Urban and population growth will keep raising demand. Consequently, Saudi Arabia is building capacity ahead of need. Ultimately, each new line and storage site moves the Kingdom closer to the National Water Strategy’s targets.