The Board of Directors of the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) convened its third meeting yesterday in Riyadh, chaired by His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen AlFadley, and attended by His Excellency the President of the Authority, Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkareem, along with other board members.

The meeting began with a review of the executive summary for the conclusion of the Hajj season. The report highlighted the Authority’s leadership in enhancing the water sector’s readiness and ensuring uninterrupted water services at the Holy Sites. This included preparations through development projects, readiness testing, and the execution of capital and operational projects in coordination with relevant entities.

The Board also reviewed the success of the “Tarwiyah” media campaign, which showcased the water sector’s Hajj achievements in both Arabic and English. The campaign reflected the fieldwork scale and high operational preparedness and was complemented by the Authority’s active participation in the Hajj Media Forum to highlight service integration.

Key operational indicators for the season were presented, including production, transmission, storage, and distribution metrics—all of which reflected zero service disruptions or emergencies, by the grace of Allah. Monitoring efforts were also reviewed, including field inspections and continuous oversight.

The Board discussed key performance indicators from the “Water Desalination” the interim operational arm for the first half of 2025, focusing on reduced energy consumption, lower operating costs of reverse osmosis technology, carbon emissions reduction, and the commercial launch of four new seawater desalination systems: Shuqaiq Phase II (RO), Jubail Phase II (RO), Al Khobar Phase II (RO), and Shuaiba (RO).

In line with its transformation year targets, the Authority presented notable achievements across its strategic pillars, including the activation of regulatory, supervisory, and planning roles in the water sector; the implementation of integrated regulatory frameworks; and comprehensive planning to enhance supply chains, economic efficiency, and service provider compliance.

Updates were also shared on the Authority’s sustainability framework, including its environmental oversight role. This featured the launch of the Sustainability Disclosure Guide and the Environmental Compliance Guideline for the water sector. The Authority also enforced regulatory measures at over 20 sites in partnership with the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

Non-networked water services were reviewed as well, alongside progress in governance development. A regulatory guide was issued to support legal frameworks, boost compliance, and improve sector performance.

The Board examined collaborative efforts with implementing bodies to improve service quality and raise customer satisfaction.

In the area of integrated planning and enhancing sector preparedness, the Board reviewed the Authority’s achievements related to comprehensive water sector planning, capital portfolio management, risk and emergency management, and the localization of supply chains. These efforts support infrastructure resilience and service sustainability under various conditions across the entire water sector. A geospatial data platform was also launched and enriched with comprehensive data on water sector assets, fully integrated with relevant entities.

On capacity building and sector sustainability, the Board reviewed programs to develop expert talent in applied water sciences and enhance engineering, research, and innovation capabilities to support local manufacturers and contractors. It also stressed the importance of adopting digital solutions and boosting public awareness to support long-term sector effectiveness.

Progress in digital transformation was shared, including the development of the smart assistant “H2O” using generative AI to deliver intelligent digital solutions for water operations and decision-making during peak seasons.

Operational excellence indicators were reviewed, including a reduction in energy consumption to 2.34 kWh, a 24% drop in production cost per cubic meter, 100% compliance with water quality standards, and lower carbon emissions—demonstrating improved sectoral efficiency.

The Board emphasized the need to maintain operational readiness, enhance performance efficiency, and develop a flexible governance model that increases competitiveness and supports Vision 2030, through continued innovation and integrated efforts under the Authority’s umbrella.