2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

SAUDI ARABIA PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
In May 2005, two contracts were agreed which are intended to lay the foundations for PSP in Riyadh.
Veolia has a US$5 million contract to audit water distribution, metering and collection in the capital.
Similar works are also planned for other Saudi cities. The intention is for the contract to evolve into a
more formal private-public partnership. Booz Allen Hamilton (USA) is to develop plans to implement a
management lease programme, which will lead to “a fully-fledged privatization” by 2013-15.
Groundwater resources
Total recharge (1998, km³) 2.20
Per capita (1998, m 3 ) 109
Withdrawals (1985, km³) 7.34
For domestic use (1985) 5%
For industry (1985) 8%
For agriculture (1985) 87%
Pilot privatisation at Jubail and Yanbu
The first development was a JV between the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJ and Y)
and Bechtel and Parsons Corporation (both of the USA), for a US$1,600-2,000 million general
upgrade of the water and wastewater facilities, which began 1997. These are the two leading
industrial cities in Saudi Arabia. There remains scope for optimising water reclamation through the
treatment of domestic and industrial effluent and the recovery and beneficial reuse of treatment
effluents.
Water Management in Jubail and Yanbu
Population Desalination (m 3 /day) Reclaimed (m 3 /day)
1996 2003 1996 2003 1996 2003
Jubail 107,000 127,000 433 700 33 66
Yanbu 57,000 87,000 193 353 15 25
MAJOR CITIES
Population 2000 2015 Status
Jeddah 3,192,000 5,183,000 Corporatisation under development
Mecca 1,335,000 2,063,000 N/A
Medinah 891,000 1,429,000 N/A
Riyadh 4,549,000 7,536,000 Corporatisation under development
Proposals for Jeddah and al Makkah
In 2002, Suez was awarded a contract to oversee an investment programme for al Makkah of more
than €10 billion over the next 10 years. The province has 7.5 million inhabitants and three major
urban areas: the Holy City, Jeddah and Taif. The water situation is especially critical in Jeddah, the
second largest city in the country with 2.6 million inhabitants. Less than 20% of the city is equipped
with a sewer system.
175 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006