Veolia has announced that the National Water Company (NWC) has awarded the management contract for water and wastewater services in Riyadh and 22 outlying municipalities, covering a population of nearly nine million people, which is expected to double by 2030.
The contract covers the management of a 30,000 km drinking water network and a 10,000 km wastewater network, with a large number of production and treatment units.
Veolia, in partnership with Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies of Saudi Arabia, will take on the operational and technical challenges of developing water services in Riyadh and the surrounding region, with a set of specific goals in mind. These include reducing water distribution network losses, assuring 24-hour service and access to high-quality drinking water, and establishing a training programme for over 5,000 local personnel.
The contract covers the management of a 30,000 km drinking water network and a 10,000 km wastewater network
Veolia has also formed a strategic alliance with the Ministry of Investment and the Water Transmission and Technologies Company. Veolia will assist the Kingdom in enhancing the operational, energy, and commercial performance of the water sector across the country as part of this new partnership. This partnership will focus on the implementation of novel solutions, including digital ones, as well as the development of skills in facility operation and maintenance.
Veolia will assist the Kingdom in enhancing the operational, energy, and commercial performance of the water sector
Speaking at the Franco-Saudi investment forum, held in Jeddah on December 4, Antoine Frérot, Chairman and CEO of Veolia, commented: “The strong commercial momentum Veolia has experienced in Saudi Arabia in recent years, as evidenced by the recent signing of several municipal and industrial contracts in all of our business lines, is a very clear indicator of the Kingdom’s desire to achieve the very ambitious environmental objectives it has set for itself. In this context, Veolia is proud to be Saudi Arabia’s preferred partner for its ecological transformation.”