المملكة: Minister of Environment: Desalinated water production has risen to 16 million cubic meters per day
Confirmed Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Engineer Abdul Rahman Al-Fadhli said The Kingdom’s Vision 2030and the National Water Strategy.
Al-Fadhli said, during the opening of the first edition of the Saudi Water Week in Jeddah Governorate, that choosing Jeddah to host the event bears historical significance, as the Kingdom’s first steps in confronting water challenges were taken from it when King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud – may God have mercy on him – directed in the 1920s to bring the first modern water desalination technologies to serve the pilgrims of God. And Al-Hajjaj, in an early message confirming that innovation represents a strategic option to confront water challenges in the Kingdom and the world.
He explained that the Kingdom faced multiple natural and institutional challenges, foremost of which was the scarcity of renewable water resources, as the region is one of the most water-stressed regions in the world, and dependent on non-renewable groundwater, in addition to the rapid growth in demand for water as a result of population increase, economic growth, the multiplicity of service providers, and the high costs of capital projects and their financing.
Investments. Investments In the water sector
Al-Fadhli indicated that the Kingdom dealt with these challenges through an integrated reform program, which was not limited to expanding infrastructure, but included developing governance, organization, financing and operation, localizing industries and knowledge, and raising the efficiency of investments in the water sector.
He indicated that the results of this transformation were clearly reflected in performance indicators, as the use of non-renewable groundwater decreased from about 21 billion cubic meters in 2016 to about 11 billion cubic meters in 2016. 2025, while the production capacity of desalinated water increased from 9 million cubic meters per day to 16 million cubic meters per day during the same period, and drinking water services reached the entire population by 100%, and the strategic storage capacity increased to 125%, with a continuous expansion of distribution networks and improvement of service reliability.
He added that the water sector has become more attractive for investment through an integrated institutional framework that has strengthened the participation of the private sector along the supply chain, benefiting from the clarity of the regulatory frameworks. And contractual, and expanding partnership models, which contributed to attracting investments exceeding 60 billion riyals, in addition to reducing water production costs and improving the efficiency of energy consumption in the production system.
Financial and environmental sustainability
Al-Fadhli stressed that these achievements reflect the transition of the water sector from a model that relied on expanding supplies to a more balanced model, which combines demand management, ensuring security of supply, and achieving operational efficiency and financial and environmental sustainability.
He pointed out that the Saudi water system has proven its flexibility in the face of geopolitical variables and fluctuations in supply chains and energy markets, as it has maintained, over the past years, continuity of services thanks to the diversification of water production sources, the expansion of transportation networks, the increase in storage capacities, and the integration of the governance and operation system, stressing that investment in water represents an investment in human security and economic stability and sustainability.
He explained that the Kingdom views water challenges as a global issue that requires cooperation. Internationally, pointing to its contribution to supporting the regional and international water agenda by launching and hosting a number of initiatives and platforms, most notably the World Water Organization and the International Water Research Center, in addition to hosting specialized summits and conferences, including the One Water Summit 2024, and preparing to host the 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh in 2027.
He stressed that Saudi Water Week comes to be a national platform that unites efforts and enhances integration between relevant national and international events. With water, it contributes to exchanging experiences, opening new horizons for partnerships and investments, supporting innovation, and strengthening the Kingdom’s position as an active partner in shaping a more sustainable future for the water sector at the regional and international levels.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
