How Saudi Arabia is partnering with Denmark in sustainable wastewater management

​ Danfoss uses in its water treatment facilities advanced real-time process control to optimize energy efficiency, cutting energy consumption by 20–40%. (Danfoss photo) ​
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Updated 12 October 2024
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How Saudi Arabia is partnering with Denmark in sustainable wastewater management

  • Population growth, climate change, and limited natural resources are compounding water scarcity in the Middle East 
  • Danfoss and Grundfos are among the Danish firms sharing their expertise to help bolster wastewater management

RIYADH: With a rapidly expanding population, limited natural water resources, and the harsh realities of climate change, Saudi Arabia is looking to international experts to develop its water sustainability and treatment infrastructure.

Among those answering the call are companies and consultants from Denmark, who are contributing their extensive knowledge and innovative solutions in wastewater management to support Saudi Arabia’s sustainability goals.

Partnerships with Danish firms like Danfoss, Grundfos, and AVK are helping the Kingdom manage its water resources more efficiently, reduce water wastage, and minimize its environmental impact.




This system treats the wastewater from the Grundfos CED surface-treatment application with a series of filters and reverse osmosis. It then sends the cleaned water back to the CED unit for reuse. (Grundfos photo)

Saudi Arabia, a country that relies heavily on groundwater and desalination, faces many challenges in water resource management.

According to a 2019 report titled “Wastewater Treatment and Water Resources in Saudi Arabia,” the Kingdom’s water demand has skyrocketed over the past two decades.

Between 2007 and 2018, the population grew from 25 million to nearly 33 million, leading to a sharp rise in freshwater demand.

However, only a portion of wastewater in Saudi cities is treated and reused. According to a 2021 report from King Saud University, 78 percent of wastewater in Dammam is treated, 60 percent in Riyadh, and just 50 percent in Jeddah.

To combat waste and to encourage the reuse of precious freshwater resources, the Kingdom has sought the expertise of Danish firms renowned for their advancements in sustainable water management.

Jacob Vind, a global water industry expert at Danish engineering firm Danfoss, highlighted the importance of addressing water scarcity in the region.

“We are in reality in the midst of an extremely serious and pervasive water challenge. There is not enough water,” Vind told Arab News.




In the last step of the wastewater treatment process, the water flows to secondary sedimentation tanks where the water is clear, does not have an odor, and is considered fully treated. (Shutterstock photo)

He further stressed that the growing demand for water, coupled with climate change, makes it essential for governments and industries to adopt advanced water management technologies.

Denmark has long been recognized for its cutting-edge wastewater management policies. The country boasts well-developed wastewater infrastructure, incorporating advanced filtration, treatment, and energy recovery processes.

DID YOUKNOW?

• 380 billion cubic meters of municipal wastewater is produced every year worldwide.

• Untreated water is a breeding ground for various diseases including cholera and typhoid.

• Most equipment for wastewater treatment is designed to operate effectively for just 15-20 years.

Denmark’s approach to water sustainability relies on innovative technologies that reduce water wastage while conserving energy and resources.

Danish engineering firms like Grundfos are making an impact in Saudi Arabia by introducing solar-powered pumping systems to supply water to remote and off-grid areas where access to electricity may be limited.

According to Morten Riis, the company’s group senior director, their water solutions target not only groundwater and rivers but also focus on reducing water loss and optimizing energy consumption in the process.




Morten Riis, group senior director and head of group external relations at Grundfos. (AN photo by Haifa Alshammari)

“We have intelligent solutions that can reduce not only the water loss but also reduce the use of energy due to managing the pressure in the water system,” Riis told Arab News.

This expertise is critical in Saudi Arabia, where reclaimed wastewater is expected to play a key role in ensuring a sustainable future.

The “Wastewater Treatment and Water Resources in Saudi Arabia” report highlighted how wastewater treatment infrastructure in the Kingdom lagged behind demand in the 1990s, leading to 40 percent of untreated wastewater being discharged into the environment.

However, recent investments and foreign collaborations are transforming the situation.

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Besides the solar-powered pumping stations introduced by Grundfos, fellow Danish engineering firm Danfoss is helping Saudi Arabia implement efficient water technologies that use less water, energy, and chemicals.

Vind says that while water treatment technologies are available, the challenge lies in making them affordable and accessible.

“In terms of recent advancements, I want to highlight that efficient water technologies use less water, less energy or chemicals and resources in general,” he said.

Meanwhile, over the past 30 years, Danish company AVK International has been providing solutions for wastewater, offering valves, hydrants, and accessories for water, gas, and sewage treatment in Jeddah.




AVK International manufactures penstocks, which are used for wastewater treatment, pumping stations and collection of wastewater. (AVK photo)

Wastewater treatment involves several stages to ensure it meets the safety standards for different uses, such as irrigation, industrial processes, and potable water.

At the start of the process, preliminary treatment involves the removal of large debris and solid particles using screens and sedimentation tanks. This is followed by primary treatment, where water passes through sedimentation tanks. Here, smaller solids settle to form sludge.

During secondary treatment, aeration is introduced to stimulate microbes that break down organic matter, removing most pollutants. Then, in a process known as tertiary treatment, the water is further filtered and disinfected to remove harmful pathogens, rendering it usable for irrigation and industrial purposes.

Some systems also include advanced treatment involving reverse osmosis and UV filtration, making the water safe for human consumption.

Of course, sustainability does not start at the treatment phase. Policies designed to protect freshwater at its source are just as important.




Tanya Gottlieb Jacobsen, deputy director of Danish consultancy State of Green. (Supplied)

“We get our drinking water from groundwater, so we focus on prevention, and we always have a strategy on prevention being better than advanced treatment for drinking water,” Tanya Gottlieb Jacobsen, deputy director of Danish consultancy State of Green, told Arab News.

Denmark’s holistic approach to water sustainability — focusing on prevention, smart technologies, and strategic investments — aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which prioritize economic diversification alongside environmental stewardship.




By eliminating pollutants in water, people support biodiversity, protect aquatic life, maintain the balance of local ecosystems and promote sustainable urban development. (Photo credit: Red Sea Global)

As the Kingdom adopts cutting-edge technologies and incorporates Danish expertise into its water infrastructure, it is taking vital steps toward securing its water future.

These efforts will not only help Saudi Arabia mitigate the effects of water scarcity and climate change but will also position the country as a leader in sustainable water management in the region.
 

 


Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan receives Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan.
Updated 05 November 2024
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Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

  • During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan

RIYADH: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan received Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan.

The minister’s visit to the country comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to address the crisis in Sudan, reach a ceasefire, and restore stability to the country. 

The Kingdom continues to support the humanitarian response efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, Saudi Press Agency said. 


Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

  • It shows how the role of the camel evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon embodying the Kingdom’s values

PARIS: The Saudi pavilion at UNESCO’s Arab Week event in Paris this week featured a showcase of the Kingdom’s deep-rooted connection to camel culture.

It explored the role of the animals as a vital part of the nation’s heritage, identity and civilization, and offered a glimpse into their enduring place in society, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The exhibits showed how the role of the camel has evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon that embodies the Kingdom’s values, and the ways in which camels are embedded in Saudi customs, traditions and literature, including poetry and proverbs.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture designated 2024 “The Year of the Camel” to highlight and reinforce the status of the animal as a national symbol and cornerstone of the Arabian cultural identity. Camels are regularly celebrated across the country through dedicated festivals, race events, clubs and research centers.

UNESCO’s Arab Week, which features 22 Arab nations, was initiated by Saudi Arabia. Guests at the official opening of the event on Monday included Saudi envoys, ambassadors representing other nations, Arab and other international diplomats stationed in France, and officials from UNESCO.


AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, speaks to Arab News at the Athar Festival of Creativity.
Updated 05 November 2024
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AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

  • Martin Sorrell: ‘AI speeds up writing processes, increasing efficiency’
  • New tech allows for increasingly personalized content

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is being used more effectively and efficiently to drive higher economic development in the media industry, said Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital.

At a panel session at the Athar Festival of Creativity Sorrell described how media agencies, such as S4 Capital and its subsidiary, Media.Monks, are using AI in a number of ways.

One application of AI in media, he said, is in “speeding the execution of copywriting and visualization.”

Time to market is drastically decreasing: “What took us literally days is now taking us three hours,” he said. Yet this produces another problem because reducing the time of procurement cuts costs, but this also means it is necessary to move to a model that increases gains in outputs,” he said.

Another application is in personalizing content for consumers. Sorrell told Arab News: “Individualization, hyper personalization, are going to become more important. Knowing the consumer in excruciating detail, using data, using the signals from the platforms, using first-party data, it becomes even more important.”

Using Netflix audience feedback algorithms as an example, Sorrell pointed out that AI enables these algorithms to produce larger and more accurate quantities of output, for example, recommendations based on user profile readings.

“We charge on a per asset used basis. Price of the asset may come down, but total revenue grows because we’re using multiple assets,” he said.

A growing area is in “media planning and buying.” Sophisticated algorithms can far more efficiently choose the distribution of planning and buying than individual media planners.

Technological capital and human capital, however, go hand in hand.

“We as agencies have to validate the algorithm’s analysis. We have to make sure that the client’s money is spent in the right way.”

Another benefit of AI is its ability to improve organizational efficiency. Where organizational silos once kept departments and specializations separate, AI opens up information to the majority of users.

To maintain the emotional connection and trust of the brand-consumer relationship in a technologically driven world, according to Sorrell, understanding individual motivation is increasingly crucial.

“Insights into culture, insights into language, into custom, into belief, into family, into country, that knowledge becomes critically important, far more so in a globalized world,” he said.

The diversity and knowledge of global and local organizations are essential for the success of any company, but the value of personalization means that local knowledge may take the lead, he added.

Quoting Harvard Business School professor Ted Levitt, Sorrell continued: “because remember, consumers will consume everything in the same way everywhere.”

Advising young professionals in tech, media and other industries operating in an AI-powered future, Sorrell said that rather than stripping away opportunities from creatives, avoiding the risk of “bombarding” consumers with much of the same, AI means “creativity becomes even more important.”

Additionally, creatives need to familiarize themselves with the skills and roles that are complementary to the new world: “I think every creative should learn Chinese. I think every creative should learn Spanish, probably Arabic too … and they should learn code.”

“The skills of the ‘Mad Men’, that Don Draper had or his colleagues … are very different to what you need now.”


Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

The CEO of the Air Connectivity Program Majid Khan speaks at the Umrah+ Connect event in London on Monday November 4, 2024. (AN
Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

  • Kingdom has attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024

LONDON: Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes from various destinations to the Kingdom this year, increasing tourist seating capacity by nearly 2 million, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program has said.

Speaking at the Umrah+ Connect business-to-business event in London on Monday, Majid Khan said the Kingdom had attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024.

Khan said: “There has been good expansion out of the UK. Virgin Atlantic is going to start daily flights from Heathrow to Riyadh in March; British Airways launched flights to Jeddah yesterday; Wizz Air will also be operating Gatwick to Jeddah flights daily.

“We are definitely focusing on our own carriers as well, because they are definitely our first priority; Flynas, flyadeal, Saudia, and Riyadh Air in the future.

“But we are also proactively working with international carriers in order to help us to get a higher share of inbound tourism to the Kingdom, as they have their sales and marketing channels in this part of the world.

“We know that the majority of BA travelers are not Saudis. They are actually travelers from the UK market, from their network in Europe and North America.”

Saudi Arabia has a strong, strategic location and travelers can reach more than half of the world within a six-hour flight, Khan said. He added that the ACP was working to deliver 150 million tourists to the Kingdom as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

He said: “Saudi Arabia is like one continent. We have 1,700 km of coastline, the new Maldives that’s actually the Red Sea, the two holiest sites for Muslims in the world, and mountainous regions.

“In the south we have Abha and Jazan, which I would personally call the Switzerland of Saudi Arabia. So it’s definitely an untouched wonder.”

An exhibition at the event highlighted new tourism developments in the Kingdom that British pilgrims can enjoy, including religious sites and activities that promote an understanding of Saudi cultural heritage.

Khan said the ACP was trying to revolutionize the way pilgrims travel, allowing them to holiday in the Kingdom after performing their religious rituals.

He said: “If we take the UK market, travelers typically have one Umrah ticket in their pocket to perform the minor pilgrimage with their family and friends. They then come back again to the UK, and have a separate ticket to either Dubai, Istanbul, or Malaga.

“This is something we would like to change. Travelers can perform Umrah, see the sacred places, and then save their tickets and continue to travel around the Kingdom. That’s the way we try to position Saudi Arabia.”

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect, said that Monday’s event had provided an opportunity for Umrah travel agents to network and grow their businesses.

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect (fourth from right), poses with the team from the Pilgrim Experience Program. (Umrah+ Connect)

Mohammed said: “We’ve brought you a diverse experience here in London, and it’s for you to use these tools, through connecting with people, to create packages that enhance and enrich pilgrim experiences.

“We’re also grateful for the support of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, who are here today and have really backed us to put on this show.”


Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

  • Discussions focused on enhancing relations, regional and international developments and issues of common concern

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Gregory Bledjian, head of the Middle East division at the German Foreign Ministry, and several accompanying officials, in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance relations, regional and international developments, and issues of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Shoura Council Speaker Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh received Turkiye’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Emrullah Isler in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.