Saudi Arabia approves 60 new water projects: official

Saudi Arabia approves 60 new water projects: official

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Saudi Arabia has annnounced more than 60 water projects, worth SR35 billion ($9.33 billion), that will cement the kingdom’s position as the world’s largest water desalination market, a top official told delegates at the 3rd Mena Desalination Projects Forum 2022 being held in Abu Dhabi.

Once completed, these projects will increase the desalination capacity to 7.5 million cu m of water per day by 2027, from 2.54 cu m per day in 2021 – nearly tripling the capacity in just six years.

Saudi Arabia’s National Water Strategy published in 2018, adopted a sustainable approach to the water sector, committing to safeguarding the natural resources and the environment of the Kingdom and providing cost-effective supply and high-quality services

"Saudi Arabia has been increasing its investment in clean energy, power and water. In the water sector, we have integrated the desalination and wastewater treatment and have been expanding our capacities across the industry," stated Engineer Khaled Al Qureshi, the CEO of Saudi Water Partnership Company, in his keynote address.

Al Qureshi pointed out that SWPC had been increasing the number of water projects over the last few years.

In 2020, it had approved 11 Independent Water Projects (IWPs) and 9 Independent Sewage Treatment Projects (ISTPs), while last