With the participation of 20 entities, the national exercise "Water" in Saudi Arabia was a success

Engineer Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim, President of the Saudi Water Authority, witnessed the activities of the national exercise “Water-”, which represents a significant strategic step in enhancing national preparedness to confront water crises. This large-scale exercise was conducted with broad participation exceeding 20 governmental and military entities, in addition to health and service sectors and leading private sector companies, reflecting the extent of official interest in ensuring the sustainability of water resources.

Simulation scenario: Fire and power outage in Mecca and Al-Baha

The exercise, titled “Major Water Service Interruption in Makkah and Al-Baha Regions,” simulated a complex and realistic scenario involving a fire in one of the main electrical rooms of the Shuqaiq power plant. According to the scenario, this hypothetical incident led to the plant going offline and the shutdown of some associated water transmission systems, causing a widespread water service interruption in the two targeted regions. This necessitated the mobilization of all participating agencies to test their response capabilities.

Water security in light of Vision 2030

This exercise cannot be separated from the broader context of Saudi Arabia's efforts to enhance its water security, a key pillar of its Vision 2030. The Kingdom leads the world in desalinated water production, making the protection of these facilities and ensuring their continued operation a top national security priority. The Saudi Water Authority, in coordination with various sectors, is working to implement the National Water Strategy, which aims to guarantee a sustainable and reliable water supply under all circumstances, both natural and emergency.

The importance of integration between the military and civilian sectors

The strategic importance of the national exercise “Water” lies in consolidating the concept of integrated work between the military, civilian, and private sectors. Managing water crises is not limited to technical repairs alone; it requires a unified command and control system and effective communication mechanisms to ensure the flow of information and timely, critical decision-making. The exercise directly aimed to test emergency and business continuity plans and assess the ability of various entities to coordinate effectively to minimize damage and ensure water reaches beneficiaries as quickly as possible.

Results reflect high level of preparedness

At the conclusion of the exercises, the results demonstrated a high level of preparedness and coordination among all participating sectors. The water system proved its ability to manage complex emergencies and crises, reinforcing confidence in the Kingdom's water infrastructure and the qualified national personnel capable of handling various challenges to ensure the continued flow of water throughout the Kingdom.