Saudi Water Partnership Company

PARTNER STORY

“Overall water resources management is key to development and prosperity.”

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

A water journey

Public-private partnerships

For more than 20 years, the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has played a crucial role providing water security and sustainability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SWPC uses the power of partnerships to bring together the public and private sectors and deliver first-class assets and water quality across the market. The company commissions, builds and operates Saudi Arabia’s state-of-the-art seawater desalination plants, transmission pipelines, strategic storage facilities, and sewage treatment works – some of which are the first public-private partnerships of their kind in the Middle East and North Africa region.

In the Kingdom’s naturally arid environment, freshwater resources are limited. Hence water treatment such as desalination is not only essential to meet the nation’s water needs but also to service the economy, in particular agriculture and industry.

“Overall water resources management is key to development and prosperity,” says Amer Abdulaziz Alrajiba, Chief Planning Officer at SWPC.

Sustainable strategies

Saudia Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) has drawn up the National Water Strategy as part of Vision 2030, which aims to create an integrated water network with sustainability at its core. MEWA has also set the 2030 target of using desalinated water to provide 92% of the country’s urban supply.

Taking its cue from this vision, SWPC is building a portfolio of facilities and plants across the national water network. The groundbreaking transmission pipeline system delivers the water where it’s needed, while SWPC’s strategic storage facilities are vital for resilience in the system.

The use of potable water from seawater is a significant challenge for SWPC. And for the water journey to be sustainable, every drop must be collected, treated, and reused, which demands innovative solutions for recycling and conservation.

“SWPC also tenders waste water treatment projects, ensuring the sustainability throughout the entire water supply chain,” says Nabil Hamdi Aljohani, SWPC Vice President, Contracts Management for Independent Water Plant and Independent Water Transmission Pipelines.

Where in the world?

SWPC operates 13 projects across every region of Saudi Arabia. Around 40 more are under construction or in the tender or planning stages.

Sharing knowledge

Until now, SWPC has been focused on tackling the water sustainability challenges facing the Kingdom and building the resilience of its skills base by recruiting and training local talent into the workforce. That remit is broadening as SWPC matures.

“Now we are a global leader in water sector business and technology, we want to share this knowledge with people around the world who support water safety and security, wherever it’s needed,” says Alrajiba.

What does a sustainable future look like?

For SWPC, wasting water is simply not an option in a world where every drop counts. The only path to water security is through sustainability, which is why the company is committed to SDG 6 – ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Did you know?

SWPC’s high-tech seawater desalination plants are some of the biggest in the world, each one capable of producing more than 600,000 cubic meters of pure drinking water a day.