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How Saudi Arabia is engineering a water-secure future

Through strong policies, innovative technologies, and large-scale infrastructure projects, Saudi Arabia is creating a resilient, efficient water system that ensures secure access for future generations. (Reuters)
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Updated 22 March 2025
MOHAMMED AL-KINANI
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How Saudi Arabia is engineering a water-secure future

  • KSA is leveraging advanced technologies to drive long-term sustainability and operational efficiency
Updated 22 March 2025
MOHAMMED AL-KINANI

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is tackling water scarcity with bold steps toward a sustainable future. Through its National Water Strategy and Vision 2030, the Kingdom is pioneering solutions to ensure long-term water availability.

Investing in desalination, wastewater reuse, and smart water management, Saudi Arabia is transforming the sector. 

The National Water Co. supports Vision 2030 by accelerating projects, improving infrastructure, and implementing digital water management for sustainability.

Water sustainability strategy

Hany Labib, chief operating officer of international consulting and engineering organization Dorsch Middle East, told Arab News that Saudi Arabia’s structured approach to water sustainability ensures that security of the natural resource remains central to national development.

“The National Water Strategy and Vision 2030 have created a framework that balances infrastructure expansion, regulatory reforms, and advanced water management practices to address the Kingdom’s water scarcity challenges,” he said.

Labib noted that a key pillar of this strategy is investing in water infrastructure, highlighting his company’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s NWC to oversee 253 projects, enhancing efficiency and service delivery.

“These projects are designed to reinforce water distribution networks, improve wastewater treatment, and ensure long-term water reliance and a positive customer experience,” he added. 

Public awareness campaigns underscore conserva-tion’s importance amid climate pressures and population growth.

Adham Sleiman, water utilities expert at Kearney MEA

Another key initiative is Saudi Arabia’s focus on optimizing resource use by reducing water losses and maximizing wastewater reuse.

“With a considerable investment, this key initiative is not just addressing immediate water demands but also ensuring the sustainability of resources for future generations. By aligning sustainability goals with economic and environmental objectives, Saudi Arabia is setting a benchmark for comprehensive water management strategy within the region,” said Labib.

Smart water tech push

Saudi Arabia is leveraging advanced technologies to drive long-term sustainability and operational efficiency in the water sector.

Labib highlighted future technologies shaping Saudi Arabia’s sustainability and efficiency goals, noting the Kingdom’s leadership in smart water management solutions.

“With a growing number of water and wastewater projects in motion, technology is playing an increasingly critical role in optimizing resources, reducing waste, and ensuring long-term viability,” he said.

The Dorsch Middle East official explained that one of the most transformative innovations is the expansion of treated wastewater reuse, reducing reliance on freshwater sources while meeting industrial and agricultural needs.

“In parallel, real-time digital monitoring systems are improving network efficiency by detecting leaks, tracking consumption patterns, and optimizing distribution,” he said. 

Labib noted that low-energy desalination and next-generation filtration technologies will boost sustainability in water production.

He emphasized that through these innovations, Saudi Arabia is not only securing its own water future but also creating scalable solutions that other arid regions can adopt.

“In a fast-changing world of technology, Saudi Arabia seeks to be at the forefront of emerging technologies and make use of data in their water investment decisions. AI is a new tool which can greatly assist in the analysis of data arising from smart water systems including customer usage patterns,” said Labib.

Integrated water strategy

Adham Sleiman, water utilities expert at Kearney MEA, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s integrated water sustainability approach under its national strategy, emphasizing its long-term vision.

“The Kingdom advances desalination, groundwater conservation, and wastewater reuse, as well as leveraging smart technologies and renewable energy. Investments in digital monitoring, smart metering, and AI-driven leak detection enhance efficiency,” he said.

Sleiman noted that the strategy strengthens policy frameworks and governance to optimize water use, highlighted by the recent establishment of the Saudi Water Authority. In 2024, the NWC treated 2.1 billion cubic meters of wastewater, ensuring water security, sustainability, and efficiency. “These efforts reinforce Saudi Arabia’s commitment to a resilient water future,” Sleiman said. 

Saudi Arabia is at the center of water sustaina-bility initiatives, hosting major forums like the Saudi Water Forum and the One Water Summit.

Azamat Zhangeldin, manager, energy and process industries at Kearney MEA

PPPs driving innovation in sector 

As for public-private-partnerships in the sector, Sleiman emphasized that PPPs are key to advancing Saudi Arabia’s water infrastructure in alignment with Vision 2030, driving innovation and investment in the sector.

“The Saudi Water Partnership Co. has attracted over SR45 billion ($12 billion) in private sector investments, fostering efficiency and innovation in water production and treatment. Saudi water ecosystem’s collaborations with international firms introduce advanced technologies, such as energy-efficient desalination and smart water management systems,” Sleiman said.

He added that these partnerships distribute risks and leverage private sector expertise, leading to improved service quality and accelerated project delivery. “By expanding PPP frameworks, Saudi Arabia is strengthening its water security and promoting sustainable resource management,” said Sleiman.

Addressing climate risks 

Azamat Zhangeldin, manager, energy and process industries at Kearney MEA, highlighted how Saudi Arabia is preparing to address climate-related risks, such as prolonged droughts or shifting rainfall patterns, to ensure long-term water availability and resilience.

“Saudi Arabia is at the center of water sustainability initiatives, hosting major forums like the Saudi Water Forum and the One Water Summit, emphasizing integrated policies, economic development, and accelerating UN SDG (sustainable development goal) 6,” he told Arab News.

He added that recognizing limited freshwater sources, the Kingdom has invested heavily in desalination, with 33 plants and 139 purification facilities producing 11.5 million cubic meters daily.

“Public awareness campaigns underscore conservation’s importance amid climate pressures and population growth,” he said, concluding that these solutions, encompassing desalination, purification, dam construction, and flood management, enhance water resilience and storage, ensuring long-term availability and mitigating climate-induced risks.

Balanced approach

Dorsch Middle East’s Labib emphasized that sustainable urban planning is key to developing water security, citing initiatives such as Green Riyadh, which incorporate water-efficient irrigation and landscaping for long-term conservation.

He added that through strong policies, innovative technologies, and large-scale infrastructure projects, Saudi Arabia is creating a resilient, efficient water system that ensures secure access for future generations.

“The Kingdom’s ability to implement projects at scale while maintaining efficiency and resource optimization makes it a model for other nations facing similar water challenges,” said Labib.

He believes Saudi Arabia is creating a replicable blueprint for sustainable water management, and added: “The Kingdom’s success lies in its centralized water strategy, where strong governance frameworks, public-private partnerships, and technological advancements work in unison to achieve long-term water security.”

Topics: Saudi Arabia water scarcity water security

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World must prioritize resilience over disruption, economic experts warn

Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan urged policymakers and investors to “mute the noise” and focus on resilience.
Updated 23 January 2026
Nadia Al Faour
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World must prioritize resilience over disruption, economic experts warn

  • Al-Jadaan said that much of the anxiety dominating markets reflected a world that had already been shifting for years
  • Pointing to Asia and the Gulf, Al-Jadaan said that some countries had already built models based on diversification and resilience
Updated 23 January 2026
Dalal Awienat Nadia Al Faour

DAVOS: Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan urged policymakers and investors to “mute the noise” and focus on resilience, as global leaders gathered in Davos on Friday against a backdrop of trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological change.

Speaking on the final day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Al-Jadaan said that much of the anxiety dominating markets reflected a world that had already been shifting for years.

“We need to define who ‘we’ are in this so-called new world order,” he said, arguing that many emerging economies had been adapting to a more fragmented global system for decades.

Pointing to Asia and the Gulf, Al-Jadaan said that some countries had already built models based on diversification and resilience. In energy markets, he pointed out that the focus should remain on balancing supply and demand in a way that incentivized investment without harming the global economy.

“Our role in OPEC is to stabilize the market,” he said.

His remarks were echoed by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim, who said that uncertainty had weighed heavily on growth, investment and geopolitical risk, but that reality had proven more resilient.

“The economy has adjusted and continues to move forward,” Alibrahim said.

Alibrahim warned that pragmatism had become scarce, trust increasingly transactional, and collaboration more fragile. “Stability cannot be quickly built or bought,” he said.

Alibrahim called for a shift away from preserving the status quo towards the practical ingredients that made cooperation work, stressing discipline and long-term thinking even when views diverged.

Quoting Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, he added: “Facing challenges requires strength and confidence, there is no virtue in weakness. We cannot sit idle.”

President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde stressed the importance of distinguishing meaningful data from headline noise, saying: “Our duty as central bankers is to separate the signal from the noise. The real numbers are growth numbers not nominal ones.”

Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva echoed Lagarde’s sentiments, saying that the world had entered a more “shock prone” environment shaped by technology and geopolitics.

Director General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that the global trade systems currently in place were remarkably resilient, pointing out that 72 percent of global trade continued despite disruptions.

She urged governments and businesses, however, to avoid overreacting.

Okonjo Iweala said that a return to the old order was unlikely, but trade would remain essential. Georgieva agreed, saying global trade would continue, albeit in a different form.

Georgieva warned that AI would accelerate economic transformation at an unprecedented speed. The IMF expects 60 percent of jobs to be affected by AI, either enhanced or displaced, with entry-level roles and middle-class workers facing the greatest pressure.

Lagarde warned that without cooperation, capital and data flows would suffer, undermining productivity and growth.

Al-Jadaan said that power dynamics had always shaped global relations, but dialogue remained essential. “The fact that thousands of leaders came here says something,” he said. “Some things cannot be done alone.”

In another session titled Geopolitical Risks Outlook for 2026, former US Democratic representative Jane Harman said that because of AI, the world was safer in some ways but worse off in others.

“I think AI can make the world riskier if it gets in the wrong hands and is used without guardrails to kill all of us. But AI also has enormous promise. AI may be a development tool that moves the third world ahead faster than our world, which has pretty messy politics,” she said.

American economist Eswar Prasad said that currently the world was in a “doom loop.”

Prasad said that the global economy was stuck in a negative-feedback loop and economics, domestic politics and geopolitics were only bringing out the worst in each other.

“Technology could lead to shared prosperity but what we are seeing is much more concentration of economic and financial power within and between countries, potentially making it a destabilizing force,” he said.

Prasad predicted that AI and tech development would impact growing economies the most. But he said that there was uncertainty about whether these developments would create job opportunities and growth in developing countries.

Professor of international political economy at the University of New South Wales in Australia, Elizabeth Thurbon, said that China was driving a Green Energy transition in a way that should be modeled by the rest of the world.

“The Chinese government is using the Green Energy Transition to boost energy security and is manufacturing its own energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports,” she explained.

Thurbon said that China was using this transition to boost economic security, social security and geostrategic security. She viewed this as a huge security-enhancing opportunity and every country had the ability to use the energy transition as a national security multiplier. 

“We are seeing an enormous dynamism across emerging market economies driven by China. This boom loop is being driven by enormous investments in green energy. Two-thirds of global investment flowing into renewable energy is driven largely by China,” she said.

Thurbon said that China was taking an interesting approach to building relationships with countries by putting economic engagement on the forefront of what they had to offer.

“China is doing all it can to ensure economic partnership with emerging economies are productive. It’s important to approach alliances as not just political alliances but investment in economy, future and the flourishment of a state,” she said.

The panel criticized global economic treaties and laws, and expressed the need for immediate reforms in economic governing bodies.

“If you are a developing economy, the rules of the WTO, for example, are not helpful for you to develop. A lot of the rules make it difficult to pursue an economic development agenda. These regulations are not allowing the economies to grow,” Thurbon said.

“Serious reform must be made in international trade agreements, economic bodies and rules and guidelines,” she added.

Prasad echoed this sentiment and said there was a need for national and international reform in global economic institutions.

“These institutions are not working very well so we can reconfigure them or rebuild them from scratch. But unfortunately the task of rebuilding falls into the hands of those who are shredding them,” he said.

WEF attendees were invited to join the Global Collaboration and Growth meeting to be held in Saudi Arabia in April 2026 to continue addressing the complex global challenges and engage in dialogue.

Topics: WEF 2026

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