In a strategic move reflecting the success of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plans to enhance water security, Saudi Arabia officially announced its position as the world's leading producer of desalinated water, achieving a record production capacity of 16 million cubic meters per day by 2025. This significant announcement was made during the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's participation in the Diriyah International Water Forum 2025, documenting the Kingdom's radical transformation from a country with an arid desert environment to a global leader in the water industry and its technologies.
Challenging nature: From desert to water leadership
To understand the magnitude of this achievement, it must be viewed within its geographical and historical context. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia spans a vast area lacking permanent rivers and renewable freshwater sources. This reality has posed an existential challenge since the founding of the state, beginning with the vision of its founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman – may God have mercy on him – to seek and develop water resources. Over the past decades, the state has invested billions of riyals to build the world's largest and most advanced desalination plant, transforming water scarcity from a developmental obstacle into an engineering success story studied globally.
Record-breaking numbers and infrastructure that defies the impossible
Reaching 16 million cubic meters per day was no coincidence; it was the result of a massive infrastructure that enabled the Kingdom to enter the Guinness World Records with 11 world records. Official data reveals the details of this water powerhouse:
- The largest water transport and storage system: The Kingdom has the largest water transport and storage network in the world, with transport capacities exceeding 18.5 million cubic meters per day, which ensures the efficient flow of water to cities and governorates.
- Lifelines: Desalinated water transmission lines extend for more than 19,000 kilometers and are integrated with internal distribution networks covering 130,000 kilometers, which has contributed to raising the percentage of the population covered by water to 84%, which is a very high rate in relation to the geographical challenges.
- Strategic water security: To enhance sustainability, water storage capacity has increased to levels exceeding 29 million cubic meters, supported by 574 dams with a storage capacity of 2.6 billion cubic meters, providing a strategic reserve for emergencies.
Riyadh: The World's Water Capital
This achievement transcends the local dimension, solidifying the Kingdom's position as a key player in international water policy. With the establishment of the World Water Organization, the selection of Riyadh as its headquarters, and the signing of its charter in May 2025, Saudi Arabia has become the world's leading authority on solutions to address water scarcity. This role reflects the Kingdom's commitment to sharing its accumulated technical expertise with the international community and leading research efforts to develop more efficient, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly desalination technologies.
Vision 2050: Sustainability for Future Generations
The Kingdom's ambitions extend beyond current figures, encompassing an ambitious future roadmap to 2050. National strategies aim to increase production capacity to provide 21 million cubic meters per day for urban use, meeting the needs of population and urban growth in over 14,000 communities. To ensure the protection of natural resources, the Kingdom relies on a sophisticated hydrological monitoring network comprising 826 monitoring stations and 447 monitoring wells, underscoring that water in Saudi Arabia is not merely a commodity, but a fundamental pillar for the continuation of development and civilization.
