Saudi Water Forum, organised under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsin Al-Fadhli, will be held in Riyadh on 17-19 March, 2019 to tackle Saudi Arabia’s and the region’s anticipated water shortages, as well as help the kingdom to secure water resources for the future.
As the forum’s website explains, Saudi Arabia’s per capita water consumption is among the world’s highest, which “is in conflict with the environmental conditions of the kingdom”.Â
Saudi’s average water consumption is 263 litres per capita each day, and the kingdom aims to reduce this to 200 litres by 2020, and 150 litres by 2030.Â
Behavioural changes and awareness of water conservation are priorities for the kingdom, and the forum will seek to bridge this gap. Held under the theme of ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, the forum has been organised to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and National Water Strategy.
Topics on the agenda include water desalination, distribution, investment, policies, and legislation, Saudi Arabia’s state news agency, SPA, reported.
Saudi Water Forum aims to boost sustainability in Saudi Arabia’s water management sector, localise international expertise, attract foreign investment into the industry, and increase the uptake of water technologies.Â
Among the government agencies that will have a presence at the show are Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation, National Water Company, Water and Electricity Corporation, and Saudi Irrigation Organisation.
Saudi Arabia will become home to the world’s largest independent water desalination plant in the future, which is currently being developed through a consortium led by Acwa Power.
Named Rabigh-3 IWP, the plant will serve high-density areas in Jeddah and Makkah when its operations commence in 2021.Â
For additional information about the government-backed event, please visit www.swforum.sa/
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