Saudi Arabia expands water desalination production capacity

Saudi Arabia has increased its daily production of desalinated water to 4.2 million cubic metres up from 3.8 million cubic metres, the state-owned Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) announced.

“On the occasion of the World Water Day 22 March, Saudi Arabia is proud to be the world’s largest producer of desalinated water,” the SWCC said on its official Twitter account.

#التحلية ترفع إنتاجها من المياه المحلاة إلى ٤.٢ مليون م٣ يومياً.#اليوم_العالمي_للمياه pic.twitter.com/ynjy9K5ZaI

— المؤسسة العامة لتحلية المياه المالحة (@swcc_ksa) March 21, 2017

Saudi Arabia owns the world’s biggest water desalination plant of Ras Al-Khair on the Arabian Gulf. The 27 billion riyal ($7.2 billion) production facility produces 1.025 million cubic metres of drinking water a day.

The kingdom’s demand on drinking water grows by 8.8 per cent annually, according to official statistics. It leads the world in the consumption of desalinated water.

Saudi Arabia suffers a full dependence on desalinated water for drinking purposes, which has led to a notable hike in the desalinated water price per litre, exceeding the gasoline litre price in the domestic market.

The kingdom consumes about eight million cubic metres of water a day with a daily consumption of 265 litres per capita, which is double the individual daily consumption in the European Union.