SWA Transfers Management of Water Desalination Plants to Al Holol Water

Water Desalination, the operational arm of the Saudi Water Authority (SWA), has signed an agreement with Al Holol Water Desalination Company to transfer the management and supervision of a portfolio of desalination plants using groundwater and surface water sources across the Kingdom.

The agreement forms part of SWA’s phased program to transfer management and supervisory responsibilities as part of the institutional restructuring of Saudi Arabia’s water sector. The restructuring separates the roles of water production, distribution and regulation, in line with the objectives of the National Water Strategy 2030.

Under the agreement, Al Holol Water Desalination Company will assume responsibility for managing the designated desalination plants and supervising their operation and maintenance activities. Meanwhile, Water Desalination’s national workforce will continue to undertake operational and maintenance activities, ensuring the retention of technical expertise and supporting the further development of Saudi engineering and operational capabilities.

The arrangement is expected to improve asset management efficiency, operational performance and water supply reliability, while enabling the respective entities within the restructured water sector to focus on their core mandates.

Over the past two years, Water Desalination has increased the combined production capacity of more than 400 desalination plants by over 1.5 million cubic metres per day (m³/day). This has brought the total production capacity of the plants to more than 4 million m³/day.

The capacity increase has been achieved through upgrades to existing assets, improvements in operation and maintenance processes, and enhancements to water quality monitoring systems.

According to SWA, the plants produce water in compliance with approved quality standards. Their geographical distribution across the Kingdom complements the country’s seawater desalination capacity by diversifying water sources, improving system flexibility, and strengthening continuity of supply under different operating conditions.

The transfer is also expected to support the long-term transformation of Saudi Arabia’s water sector by improving the efficiency of asset management and operational spending while strengthening the sustainability and resilience of national water supplies.

The agreement represents another step in the Kingdom’s ongoing water-sector transformation and supports the objectives of the National Water Strategy 2030 to establish a more efficient, reliable and sustainable water system capable of meeting the Kingdom’s current and future water requirements.