Saudi Arabia Leads the World in Desalinated Water Production
Saudi Arabia has made remarkable achievements in water desalination, cementing its position as the world’s largest producer of desalinated water.
Due to its dry desert climate and the lack of freshwater resources, Saudi Arabia has accelerated efforts to meet its daily water needs by desalinating seawater. As a result, the Kingdom has expanded its desalination projects, positioning itself as a global leader in this field.
Desalinated Water Production
Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in expanding its water desalination sector, achieving remarkable success and maintaining its status as the world’s largest producer of desalinated water. According to a statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), the Kingdom boasts a total desalination capacity of 4.19 million cubic meters annually.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia possesses a robust water infrastructure, as it has the largest water pipeline network in the world, extending over 14,210 kilometers with a daily capacity of 19.42 million cubic meters.
Saudi Arabia’s Water Strategy
In 2018, Saudi Arabia adopted the National Water Strategy 2030, developed by the MEWA. It is a unified framework for the Saudi water sector, integrating trends, policies, regulations and practices at the national level to address key challenges and restructure the water sector.
The National Water Strategy has developed a roadmap for the sustainable utilization of water resources and maximizing the benefit of using renewable and recyclable water resources. It also aims to provide a safe water supply and high-quality services that contribute to the Kingdom’s economic growth and GDP.
The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) is responsible for overseeing the implementation of water sector strategic directions through regulatory oversight, fostering sustainable water management, improving services, enhancing capabilities and economic growth, driving innovation and technology, and protecting the environment.
Its responsibilities also include developing methodologies that contribute to achieving the objectives of the National Water Strategy, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The SWA has affiliated entities that support its efforts, including the National Water Company (NWC); the Saudi Water Partnership Company; the Water Academy; and the Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC).
Breaking the Records
The Kingdom has made record achievements in the water desalination sector, thanks to its National Water Strategy. In the light of this, Saudi Arabia has secured 9 Guinness World Records.
In 2024, the Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) received the certificates for the world’s largest desalination plant for its “Ras Al-Khair” system, with a production capacity of about 3 million cubic meters; the world’s largest covered Water Reservoir for storing drinking water, with a production capacity of 3 million cubic meters; and the largest drinking water storage facility, with a capacity exceeding 2 million cubic meters.
Moreover, the SWCC was awarded for having the world’s biggest drinking water storage facility in Riyadh, with a daily capacity of 4.79 million cubic meters; and the largest piped water transmission system for water desalination in the world, with a capacity of 19,429 million cubic meters per day.
It was also recognized for possessing the world’s largest mobile desalination plant, with a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per day; and the world’s largest thermal evaporation unit in Shuaiba, with a daily capacity of 92,000 cubic meters. Saudi Arabia also has the largest network of water reservoir for drinking water storage with a total capacity of 8,970 million cubic meters; and the lowest energy consumption rate in desalination plants, with less than 2.271 kWh per cubic meter.
Water Service Projects
Over the course of 2024, the Saudi National Water Company (NWC) implemented 36 projects in the water service sector, with a total value of SAR 992mn. These projects included establishing 894 kilometers of pipeline networks; constructing 29 reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 109,500 cubic meters; and building a purification plant with a water treatment capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day.
The NWC projects also included pumping stations with a total capacity of 546,080 cubic meters per day. Other future plans include implementing additional 31 projects worth SAR 2.14bn.
Wastewater Projects
The Kingdom implemented 12 wastewater projects, with a total value of SAR 1.2bn, with another 26 planned wastewater projects valued at SAR 1.83bn. Meanwhile, 17,300 additional homes were connected to the sewage network and 15 desalination reduction plants were built in the Eastern Region, 12 of them started operation.
During the Hajj Season 2024, the NWC managed to pump over 45 million cubic meters of water through networks stretching over 5,000 kilometers to serve pilgrims. It also conducted more than 75,000 lab tests to ensure water quality.
Harnessing Advanced Technologies
The SWCC is responsible for ensuring Saudi Arabia’s water security, by supplying water to the Kingdom’s cities and regions, as well as meeting the water needs during the Hajj and Umrah seasons. To this end, the SWCC has harnessed advanced technologies to enhance water desalination efforts.
As a result, the SWCC secured patents for new technologies in mineral extraction, water intake protection, and chemical-washing systems in desalination processes. This marks a significant milestone towards achieving sustainability in Saudi Arabia’s water sector.
