The Saudi Cabinet, chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has approved the transformation of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) into the Saudi Water Authority (SWA), along with the adoption of its organizational frameworks.
The Cabinet’s approval aims to enhance and sustain water security in Saudi Arabia through the support and empowerment of SWA to facilitate its oversight over water-related activities, optimizing regulations, service management, and methodological development. This will further contribute to the sustainability of water resources and the achievement of the National Water Strategy, aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Under the new regulations, SWA will be responsible for several crucial strategic roles. It will develop and refine policies, plans, programs, and initiatives related to the water sector, set the necessary standards and regulations for licensing related to its areas of jurisdiction, and unify the technical and engineering standards of the water sector to ensure compliance with local content and sustainability standards.
Furthermore, the Authority is tasked with managing the strategic planning of the Kingdom’s water supply, elevating reports, recommendations, and strategic solutions to improve the overall performance of the water sector. It will also focus on localizing the industry and services related to water activities, increasing the percentage of local content.
H.E. Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of SWA, expressed his profound gratitude to The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and HRH Mohamed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, upon the Cabinet’s approval of the transformation of SWCC into the Saudi Water Authority, along with the adoption of its organizational frameworks.
He stated that the Cabinet’s approval reflects the significant care the water sector receives from The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and HRH Mohamed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, highlighting the recent achievements of the sector.
Al Fadley added that this decision supports the ongoing efforts to develop the water sector, allowing it to maintain its leadership and utilizing SWCC’s capabilities in research, innovation, development, localization, and patents to advance towards a more focused, sustainable, and reliable water security. This includes implementing safe technologies and substantial research efforts that align with the Kingdom’s development needs while enhancing its economic role and ambitious vision through supporting the efforts of the Saudi Water Authority and enabling it to organize, monitor, and develop the water sector in a way that contributes to achieving the objectives of the National Water Strategy and the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.
Additionally, Al Fadley outlined that under the new regulations, the Saudi Water Authority will play strategic, regulatory, and executive roles, focusing on applying strategic programs, developing necessary regulations and standards for the issued licenses, and ensuring the technical and engineering standards of water-related activities meet the local content and sustainability policies.
SWA will also manage planning the Saudi water supply chain, submitting reports, recommendations, and strategic and technical solutions for the overall performance of the water sector while localizing the water industry, raising the percentage of local content, and representing the Kingdom in relevant international bodies and organizations, which will contribute to the development of the water sector so that it continues its leadership at all levels.
Concluding his statement, Al Fadley thanked the state’s leadership for their diligent care in providing top-notch services to the citizens throughout the Kingdom, asking God for success for the entire workforce of the water sector.
On the other side, H.E. Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Abdulkarim, President of the Saudi Water Authority, highlighted the significance of the Cabinet’s approval to transform SWCC into the Saudi Water Authority, marking a pivotal step for the ongoing development of the Saudi water sector and the efforts towards achieving water security. This transformation, he noted, signifies a substantial shift in the long-standing institution, established over 50 years ago, and reflects the continuous support and guidance from the Kingdom’s leadership to benefit from its current assets, capabilities, innovations, and human expertise.
Al Abdulkarim added that SWA would extend the Kingdom’s global success and records with its global leadership in desalinated water production at 11.5 million cubic meters daily. He stated that the Authority would continue to build on this success by relying on its highly qualified expertise and constant passion for achievement, excellence, and innovation to contribute to keeping pace with Saudi Vision 2030 and achieving its goals in sustainability, quality of life, and diversification of the national economy.
Al Abdulkarim emphasized that SWA will focus on maximizing its strategic role in regulating and developing the water sector, improving the integration and efficiency of the water supply chain, assessing infrastructure readiness, and enhancing strategic storage and alternative sources. He added that this will be built on the initiatives to localize research, develop technologies, and encourage innovation to create more job opportunities, highlighting the efforts to unify engineering standards and requirements to raise professional performance and efficiency.
Moreover, Al Abdulkarim noted that SWA would enhance regulatory and development strategies to elevate the water sector’s contribution to Saudi economic development, reinforcing its position as a global leader in water solutions. This involves increasing private sector participation, enhancing its role in localization, and boosting its contribution to the national GDP.
In conclusion, Al Abdulkarim reaffirmed SWA’s commitment to advancing the leadership of the water sector in the Kingdom, enhancing knowledge and technology, enabling capabilities and local resources, and contributing to the attentive and diligent management of water and environmental resources to achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.