Shaping a new global roadmap for water security

Water is an essential element for human existence and life on Earth, playing a critical role in sustaining all aspects of life, driving economic development, and shaping civilizations.  

Today, more than 2 billion people struggle to access clean water, making the global water crisis an escalating challenge, exacerbated by climate change and population growth. This crisis is no longer confined to specific regions — it has transcended geographical boundaries, becoming a global challenge that demands immediate action. 

Saudi Arabia faces the challenge of water scarcity due to limited natural water resources and an arid climate. Addressing this challenge has required a proactive and innovative approach. This necessity has sparked the development of new, cutting-edge solutions for water production, management, and distribution. 

Over the past five decades, the Kingdom has undergone a rapid transformation in the water sector, redefining its trajectory from the launch of its first desalination initiatives in 1970 to the establishment of the Saudi Water Authority.  

Today, SWA plays a pivotal role in regulation, oversight, and strategic planning under the umbrella of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, ensuring sector sustainability, compliance with international standards, and continuous improvement in service quality. 

SWA oversees the production of over 15 million cubic meters of water daily, managed by both public and private sectors, achieving world-leading efficiency in energy consumption, capital investment, and operational costs.

The produced water is transmitted through a state-of-the-art transmission network spanning over 14,000 km, covering diverse terrains in collaboration with the Water Transmission Co. and private sector partners. The water is then delivered to distribution networks extending more than 135,000 km, supplying cities and rural communities nationwide. 

Additionally, the National Water Co. manages wastewater collection and treatment, ensuring reuse in irrigation, industry, and mining, in coordination with the Saudi Irrigation Organization. 

The Saudi water sector operates within a comprehensive institutional framework, ensuring a clear division of responsibilities across the entire supply chain. This structure is commercially governed, with Saudi Water Partnerships Co. acting as the primary off-taker, facilitating well-structured commercial relationships among sector entities. This approach strengthens the role of SWA in regulatory development, policy formulation, integrated planning, and innovation, in alignment with Vision 2030. 

These institutional and regulatory advancements position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in water governance, operational efficiency, and technological innovation. By leveraging advanced technologies and smart solutions, SWA, in collaboration with all stakeholders, is redefining sustainable water management, ensuring the Kingdom remains at the forefront of efficient and sustainable water resource management despite its scarcity challenges. 

As part of this transformation, the SWA Innovation Institute for Water Technologies & Research and the Innovation Center play a crucial role in developing applied research and engineering solutions aligned with national priorities. These efforts foster innovation, support service providers, and enhance consumer benefits, ultimately driving sustainability, efficiency, and regulatory excellence.  

SWA places consumer rights and interests at the core of its policies, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and service quality, ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality water that supports sustainable development and societal well-being. 

SWA continues to push for greater efficiency and sustainability. Saudi Arabia’s desalination facilities are now among the most energy-efficient in the world, with new systems achieving a consumption rate of less than 2.38 kWh per cubic meter of desalinated water. 

With ongoing advancements in efficiency, reliability, and the adoption of renewable energy, the Kingdom has successfully reduced carbon emissions by 37 million tonnes annually through a comprehensive desalination technology development program. This has significantly improved desalination economics while protecting the environment. 

Additionally, Saudi Arabia has pioneered desalination applications in agriculture, achieving record-breaking efficiency levels both quantitatively and qualitatively. 

Currently, the local content ratio in desalination operations stands at 65 percent, surpassing Vision 2030’s target of 70 percent five years ahead of schedule. This achievement is driven by Saudi expertise, with a 98 percent localization rate in the workforce.  

The Kingdom remains committed to accelerating the localization of supply chains, services, and human resources, ensuring a more resilient and sustainable water sector. This success has paved the way for groundbreaking global initiatives, including the establishment of the Saudi Water Academy, dedicated to training the next generation of global water leaders. 

Global collaboration

At SWA, we recognize that water challenges cannot be solved in isolation — they require strong partnerships between governments, industries, and communities. Saudi Arabia has taken the lead in global water security efforts, spearheading initiatives such as the establishment of a Global Water Organization and securing the host of the 11th World Water Forum in 2027. This event will convene decision-makers, scientists, and innovators to address water challenges and shape a new global vision for the future of water security.  

As the regulatory and supervisory body for Saudi Arabia’s water sector, SWA continues to harness big data and digital technologies to enhance resource management, ensure sustainability, and improve operational transparency and efficiency. By adopting advanced technologies, forging strategic partnerships, and leveraging AI and data analytics, Saudi Arabia is shaping a secure and sustainable future for water, maximizing resource efficiency, and reinforcing long-term water sustainability for future generations. 

Water security is not just a local or regional concern — it is a global responsibility that transcends borders. The question is no longer “Can we solve this crisis?” but rather, “How far are we willing to go in working together to overcome this global challenge?”

• Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim is president of the Saudi Water Authority.