The Saudi Water Authority Assigns Plant Management and Supervision to “Water Solutions”

Water Desalination Operations, the operational arm of the Saudi Water Authority, has increased the total production capacity of desalination plants using groundwater and surface water sources over the past two years by more than 1.5 million cubic meters per day. With more than 400 plants, total production capacity has now exceeded 4 million cubic meters per day, following development works covering assets, operations and maintenance, and quality control.

The plants produce water that complies with approved standards and specifications. Their geographic distribution across the Kingdom provides a geographically distributed source of support for the water supply system, complementing seawater desalination capacities, expanding supply options, enhancing the system’s flexibility in responding to changes in demand, and supporting supply continuity under various conditions.

The development works included connecting a number of plants to the electrical grid and improving energy consumption efficiency, contributing to the displacement of more than 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent in liquid fuels annually and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 170,000 tons per year.

As a continuation of this approach, Water Desalination Operations, the operational arm of the Saudi Water Authority, and Water Solutions Company signed an agreement for the “Assignment of Management and Supervision Responsibilities for Desalination Plants Using Groundwater and Surface Water Sources.”

The agreement is part of the phased transfer of management and supervision responsibilities and the continued institutional restructuring of the water sector, separating the roles of production, distribution, and regulation in accordance with the National Water Strategy 2030. This enables each entity to focus on its respective mandate while improving the efficiency of asset and expenditure management.

The plants are operated by Saudi national professionals. Under the agreement, Water Solutions Company will manage the plants and oversee their operation and maintenance activities, while the Authority’s Saudi personnel will continue to carry out operation and maintenance tasks. This preserves accumulated expertise, supports the continued development of specialized Saudi capabilities, and enhances asset management efficiency and supply reliability.