What is the project about

In recent years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undertaken enormous efforts to save and protect one of its most precious resources, water, and to ensure a high-quality and lasting supply of water for all purposes for its population. On this basis a National Water Plan was developed and updated in 2017. Within this updated plan (Saudi National Water Strategy 2030, Strategy Definition Report), a series of strategic programmes and initiatives have been formulated, many of which shall be implemented in cooperation with UNDP according to the new project with Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. The new initiative supports the Ministry to achieve its targets in the National Transformation Programme 2020 and SDGs.

Project Outcomes

• Strengthening and optimizing the technical and organizational capacities of the MEWA with respect to water resources and water supply management of the Kingdom.
• Implementation of Integrated Water Information Systems.
• Design of an overall Water Resources Management with implementation and enforcement.
• Design of an overall Water Supply Management System with implementation.
• Establishing an all-encompassing monitoring system for the surface water and groundwater processes.
• Assessing the effects of climate change on the society and nature not only in the water business.
• Evaluating comprehensively the potential of water resources hitherto not in the focus of water supply: secondary and remote aquifers, surface run-off and rainwater harvesting, large-scale reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes.
• Evaluating environmental risks associated with the water cycle (groundwater pollution, seawater intrusion, radioactive contamination) and elaborating counter measures.
• Investigating the additional, water-inherent resources (hydrothermal energy, geothermal potential).
• Establishing an Environmental Awareness Center for public awareness.

Related Documents

• Project Documnet
• Factsheet