Industry News
2026-09-07[Saudi Arabia] The United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) 9 月 4 日 released a special report, listing Saudi Arabia as a global model for water security governance. The report notes that under the framework of the National Water Strategy, Saudi Arabia has nearly doubled its drinking water production, with a clean water supply network covering nearly the entire population taking initial shape, and wastewater reuse volume growing nearly threefold in three years; the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) currently oversees approximately 125 亿 USD of investment across the full water industry chain, and will host the 2027 年 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh, targeting 2030 年 reuse of 70% treated wastewater.
I. Core Conclusions of the UNSDG Report
The UNSDG report affirms Saudi Arabia's water governance achievements from three dimensions:
- Infrastructure Investment — Since the launch of the National Water Strategy, Saudi Arabia's drinking water production has nearly doubled, with transmission, distribution, and storage system capacity expanding in tandem, bringing clean water accessibility close to full national coverage.
- Non-Conventional Water Source Utilization — The reuse volume of treated wastewater has grown nearly threefold in less than three years, with reuse applications spanning industrial circulating cooling, agricultural irrigation, urban landscaping, and pre-desalination dilution, among other scenarios.
- Management System Integration — Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia consolidated the operation and management rights of over 400 desalination plants nationwide under a single operator, driving down unit water costs through scaled and specialized integration.
II. Key Figures: 125 亿 USD Investment and 70% Reuse Target
The Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) currently manages approximately 125 亿 USD of full-chain water investment, covering three major segments: seawater desalination, transmission and distribution networks, and wastewater treatment and reuse. Saudi officials state that the core objective of this scale is not simply capacity expansion, but rather reducing unit water costs through scaled operations, enabling desalinated and reclaimed water to maintain a sustained competitive edge over long-distance water transfer in cost terms.
In wastewater reuse, Saudi Arabia has set a target of **2030 年 reuse of 70% treated wastewater**. This ratio is significantly higher than the global average, placing it in the tail-end tier alongside Israel (approximately 90%) and Spain (some regions exceeding 70%). Mr. Tang believes that the 70% target will be achieved primarily through centralized industrial park reuse supplemented by municipal miscellaneous uses, with the corresponding technology portfolio including combined processes such as MBR + RO dual-membrane systems, ozone-based Advanced Oxidation, and AI-driven chemical dosing and aeration optimization.
III. Seawater Desalination Remains the Foundation
Saudi Arabia's seawater desalination output accounts for approximately 18% of the global total, ranking first worldwide. However, the UNSDG report emphasizes that desalination is no longer the "complete answer" to Saudi Arabia's water strategy, but rather one component of a diversified water source structure alongside wastewater reuse and brackish water utilization. In its latest assessment round, Saudi Arabia explicitly stated it will continue evaluating non-conventional water sources, including brackish water and wastewater reuse.
IV. Implications for TIANYI TECH's Business
Mr. Tang noted that Saudi Arabia's water strategy offers threefold reference value for TIANYI TECH's business going global:
- Market Entry Window — The 2027 年 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh presents a prime window for brand exposure and partner engagement in the Middle East market; the company can initiate a dedicated Saudi market study in 2027 年 Q1, focusing on engaging major platforms such as SWPC, ACWA Power, and NEOM.
- Technology Benchmarking Direction — Saudi Arabia's extreme focus on unit water cost means process packages must excel in "membrane fouling control + energy conservation + intelligent operations"; TIANYI TECH can continuously optimize membrane module lifespan, AI chemical dosing models, and energy recovery device efficiency against Saudi project parameters.
- "Integrated Operations" Model — Saudi Arabia's centralized operation of over 400 desalination plants aligns with the domestic trend of "packaged trusteeship of municipal wastewater plants"; TIANYI TECH can draw on its "unified dispatch + regionally differentiated operations" approach to provide multi-plant smart operations platforms for major domestic water groups.
V. Risks and Challenges
Mr. Tang also noted that behind the success of Saudi Arabia's water strategy lie significant challenges: heavy reliance on sustained government fiscal spending and Public Investment Fund (PIF) injections, direct impact of energy price fluctuations on the economics of desalinated water, and the long-term operational stability of wastewater reuse projects still requiring extensive validation. In TIANYI TECH's market expansion in Saudi Arabia, priority should be given to assessing the fiscal sustainability of project locations, the boundaries of long-term O&M responsibilities, and exchange rate risks.
About TIANYI TECH
TIANYI LIMITED, headquartered in Hong Kong with a presence across China and a global footprint, specializes in process design, equipment manufacturing, engineering construction, and smart operation in the fields of industrial wastewater treatment, reclaimed water reuse, and comprehensive recycled water utilization. The company's business covers centralized industrial wastewater treatment in industrial parks, municipal wastewater upgrading and retrofitting, reclaimed water reuse, and smart water platforms, providing clients with full life-cycle services from feasibility study, design, and construction to operation and maintenance.
Source: Desalination News / UN Sustainable Development Group 2026 年 9 月 4 日 special report.
