Saudi Arabia targets $2.93 billion to make more water technology at home

Saudi Arabia’s water-industry localization program has mapped 18 investment opportunities intended to bring production of critical equipment and services into the Kingdom, with a target of roughly 11 billion riyals ($2.93 billion) in investment by 2033. The list covers about 90% of the industry’s core components, from reverse-osmosis membranes—the filters that remove salt from seawater—to high-pressure pumps, energy-saving devices, treatment chemicals, and the control systems that run plants. The bet is that the country’s large desalination and water network can provide enough steady demand to support domestic factories rather than relying on imported parts; the water authority estimates local demand for the targeted products at more than 15 billion riyals through 2033. Six opportunities—including five new projects—have already entered industrial implementation, representing 2.8 billion riyals across seven factories.