2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

SAUDI ARABIA PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Saudi Arabia
Economics (2003)
GDP per capita US$9,240
GDP per capita (PPP) US$13,230
Agriculture 5%
Industry 55%
Services 40%
Water resources and applications
The country is seeking to reduce over-abstraction through a reduction in water from 16.2 million m 3
per annum to 14.9 million m 3 per annum, mainly via a fall in agricultural use from 14.5 million m 3 per
annum to 12.6 million m 3 pa. Even so, this compares with a total surface water availability and annual
groundwater recharge of 4.60 million m 3 per annum. In consequence, groundwater supplies have a
15-20 year life, with 85-90% of water currently used for agriculture. Currently water costs US$0.03 per
m 3 for domestic customers and US$1.60 per m 3 for large industrial customers.
Saudi Arabia generates 154,800m 3 of wastewater per day, of which, 113,960m 3 goes to agriculture
and related applications. This is a reuse rate of 73.6%. In 1998, 8.2 million m 3 of water out of 14
million m 3 of wastewater generated that year was recycled. The Ministry of Water Affairs was formed
in 2003. It deals with private sector participation and foreign investments in water, desalination and
wastewater reuse projects. The new ministry will also be involved in setting new water tariffs.
The Water and Electricity ministry allocated SR300 million (US$75 million) per annum in 2005 for
reducing distribution losses and has launched a nationwide water saving campaign targeting
households across the country. So far, 1.8 million water saving kits have been delivered to houses
and more have been sent to schools, mosques and other public institutions.
In 2005, SR15 billion (US$3.75 billion) was allocated to address water shortage and sewage problems
in Jeddah over the next five years. This covers the construction of a water treatment works in Shoiba
and one in Northern Jeddah (250,000 m 3 per day capacity) and sewerage networks in Northern and
Southern Jeddah.
Population
Total (2003, million) 22.5
Total (2015, million) 30.8
In urban areas (2003) 88%
In urban areas (2015) 91%
In urban agglomerations (2015) 24%
Desalination extension plans
The Sixth Plan (1995-99), sought to have all drinking water obtained via desalination plants. Due to a
number of delays and continuing problems with extant plant, the SWCC was given a revised set of
targets in 1999. Currently, Saudi Arabia has 24 desalination plants in operation with a 600 million
gallon per day capacity, or 700,000m 3 per day. SWCC now plans to construct 17 desalination plants
(with a total capacity of 2.3 million m 3 ) so as to provide a total capacity of 3 million m 3 per day.
In 2003, the National Commercial Bank noted that the SWCC projects a 20-year investment
requirement of SR11.5 billion (US$3 billion) a year on water supply and sanitation projects from 2003
to 2022. Saudi Arabia currently utilises 185 million m³ per year of treated wastewater effluent.
Current production costs for desalinated water in Saudi Arabia are estimated at SR2.7 (US$0.72) per
m³, with a full cost of water and wastewater services of some SR4.67 (US$1.33 per m³).
Urban Services
Safe drinking water 100%
Access to sewerage 60%
% Sewage treated 25%
173 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006