How Saudi Arabia is acting to stabilize and replenish its groundwater reserves

A view of the desalination plant owned by the Saline Water Conversion Corporation in Ras al-Khair in the Kingdom's Eastern Province. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)
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Updated 23 March 2024
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How Saudi Arabia is acting to stabilize and replenish its groundwater reserves

  • The Kingdom is among the most arid countries in the world due to its minimal rainfall and high evaporation rates
  • To combat water scarcity, Saudi Arabia has made substantial investments in conservation and desalination infrastructure

DUBAI: Groundwater levels are in significant decline around the world, particularly in agricultural regions with dry climates that experience severe water deficiency. Saudi Arabia is one of several Middle Eastern nations that struggle with water scarcity.

The Kingdom is among the most arid countries in the world due to its minimal rainfall and high evaporation rates. Its climate exposes it to temperature fluctuations, little annual precipitation, no natural perennial flow, and few groundwater supplies.

However, over the last few years, especially within the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, work has been done to stabilize and even recover Saudi Arabia’s groundwater levels as well as develop plans to maintain the nation’s water resources at a sustainable level.

Due to the discovery of lucrative fossil fuels around four decades ago, the Kingdom has experienced an exceptional period of economic growth and is rapidly transforming its economy and society further under Vision 2030, launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

FASTFACT

  • World Water Day is an annual UN observance day held on March 22 that highlights the importance of freshwater.

Saudi Arabia’s economic boom has resulted in a higher standard of living for its people as well as large-scale urban migration and an increase in population growth. The country grew from 4 million in 1960 to around 36.9 million in 2022, according to the General Authority for Statistics, also known as GASTAT.

The Kingdom is now, according to GASTAT, the 41st most populous country in the world.

While Saudi Arabia’s economic boom, increased opportunities, and population growth are positive gains for the country on its road to socio-economic transformation, such successes have also placed the country’s scarce water resources under extreme pressure.

Presently, the Kingdom relies on three basic sources for water extraction: Desalinated seawater, groundwater, and recycled water regularly used in electricity production.

Saudi Arabia derives some of its water from the sea. This is done through the process of desalination, which involves transforming brackish seawater into potable water. The Kingdom is now officially the world’s largest producer of desalinated water.




A view of the Jubail Desalination Plant at the Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province overlooking the Arabian Gulf. (AFP)

Groundwater aquifers, both renewable and non-renewable, are considered the most important resource for freshwater in the Kingdom. Aquifers in Saudi Arabia supply more than 90 percent of the agricultural sector’s water needs and around 35 percent of urban water needs.

“Actions are being taken but more are needed,” Saleh bin Dakhil, a spokesperson for MEWA, told Arab News. “Saudi Arabia is spearheading initiatives locally to mitigate the impact of high water demand mostly to agriculture.”

Aquifers have long been a major source of water in Saudi Arabia and comprise vast underground reservoirs of water.

During the 1970s, the government undertook a major effort to locate and map such aquifers and estimate their capacity. It then drilled tens of thousands of deep tube wells in areas with the most potential for both urban and agricultural use.




In the oases of Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, scientists have found that traditional farming techniques stretching back centuries helped preserve one of the region’s green gems. (Supplied)

“Groundwater is a critical resource for irrigated agriculture, livestock farming and other agricultural activities, including food processing,” Jippe Hoogeveen, senior land and water officer in the Land and Water Division at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, told Arab News.

“In order to meet global water and agricultural demands by 2050, including an estimated 50 percent increase in food, feed and biofuel demand relative to 2012 levels, it is of critical importance to increase agricultural productivity through the sustainable intensification of groundwater abstraction, while decreasing the water and environmental footprints of agricultural production.”

Where a perennial and reliable source of shallow groundwater exists, groundwater can be an important source for smallholder farmers, said Hoogeveen.




Over the last few years, especially within the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, work has been done to stabilize and even recover Saudi Arabia’s groundwater levels, as well as develop plans to maintain the nation’s water resources at a sustainable level. (Shutterstock)

Regions heavily reliant on groundwater for irrigation include North America and South Asia, where 59 percent and 57 percent of the areas equipped for irrigation use groundwater, respectively.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where the opportunities offered by the vast shallow aquifers remain largely underexploited, only 5 percent of the area equipped for irrigation uses groundwater.

Saudi Arabia’s water shortage impacts sustainable agriculture, industrial development and the well-being of the population.

The Kingdom uses 80 percent of its water for agricultural purposes, with groundwater extraction accounting for most of this demand, which is not sustainable, according to a 2023 research paper titled: “Water Scarcity Management to Ensure Food Scarcity through Sustainable Resources Management in Saudi Arabia.”




The Kingdom has launched its National Water Strategy 2030, which has been prepared according to the principles of integrated water resource management and aims to restructure the country’s water sector and transform it into a more sustainable and efficient one. (MEWA photo)

Another three-year study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the US shows that groundwater is declining around the world. It found that groundwater is dropping rapidly in more than two-thirds of the aquifers, or 71 percent, of 1,700 aquifers studied — three times as many as expected.

Having declined in the 1980s and 1990s, depletion rates have since sped up in the last two decades. In some countries, such as Iran, groundwater decline is widespread. But in parts of Saudi Arabia, groundwater levels have stabilized or even recovered, the report found.

The report demonstrated how the declines of the 1980s and 90s had reversed in 16 percent of the aquifer systems the authors had data for.

For a water-stressed country like Saudi Arabia, substantial public and private sector investment has been made into water and desalination infrastructure to create as much usable water as possible.

One initiative, bin Dakhil said, is the Upper Mega Aquifer System, which is one of the largest aquifer systems in the world. It underlies the extreme deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and crosses borders between Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Yemen and the UAE.




Simplified geological map of the Arabian Peninsula showing the extent and outcrop of the principal aquifers of the Upper Mega Aquifer System in Saudi Arabia, considered as one of the largest aquifer systems in the world. (Infographic courtesy of the Hydrogeology Journal)

It is built of several bedrock aquifers or sandstone and karstified limestone aquifers that are then imperfectly hydraulically connected to one another. The main ones are the Wasia-Biyadh sandstone aquifer, and the karstified Umm Er Radhuma and Dammam limestone aquifers.

However, due to good water quality and high yield, these aquifers have been intensively exploited, leading to the depletion of groundwater resources.

In central Saudi Arabia, groundwater levels have declined for decades, but evidence is now emerging that these declines are slowing down due to policy changes. Bin Dakhil told Arab News that the amount of water lost from aquifers is now being reduced.

“Secondly, there has been a lessening of the impact from groundwater withdrawal on rates,” he added, emphasizing the major governmental measures and decrees passed to mitigate the challenge of water scarcity.

The Kingdom has launched the National Water Strategy 2030, prepared according to the principles of integrated water resource management, with aims to restructure the country’s water sector and transform it into a more sustainable and efficient one.

The strategy, bin Dakhil said, involves a variety of initiatives, including ones that call for irrigation efficiency and water-reducing agriculture practices.

Evidence suggests that laws and regulations to prevent or limit diffuse groundwater pollution from agriculture, and especially their enforcement, are “generally weak,” Hoogeveen said.

“Policies addressing water pollution in agriculture should be part of an overarching agriculture and water policy framework at the national, river basin and aquifer scale,” he added.

In terms of groundwater development, rural electrification has been a principal driver, said Hoogeveen, especially where rural power grids have been extended into areas that would otherwise have relied on diesel fuel or wind energy.

Additionally, advances in solar technology have witnessed the development of solar-powered irrigation systems, adopted at scale to service farming operations.

“However, there is a risk of unsustainable water use if SPIS implementation is not adequately managed and regulated,” he said.

In Saudi Arabia, bin Dakhil said “the deeply rooted use of non-conventional water to mitigate the depletion of non-renewable groundwater by an increased use of renewable water for irrigation.”




CaptionFirst Solar Saudi Arabia and Al Watania Agricultural Company completed a pilot project that uses solar energy to power an irrigation at a farm spread over 300 square kilometers in the Kingdom's northern province of Al Jouf. (Supplied/File)

An example is renewable water that is being pumped from the Dammam region into the agricultural area of Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province through a pipeline with a volume exceeding 200 thousand cubic meters per day by the Saudi Irrigation Organization.

Additionally, technical and legislature governance tools have been put in place that include hundreds of groundwater observation wells augmented by the implementation of water by-laws through licenses, metering of groundwater withdrawal and tracking of drilling rigs using smart technology to monitor and measure water quality, conserve water supplies and enable citizens to function efficiently.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is increasing the amount of rainwater harvesting through new dams and efficiently managing existing dams to allocate water to agriculture.

“The Kingdom has also established a center for water efficiency and rationing whose policies target increasing the efficiency of groundwater use and rationing its withdrawals,” said bin Dakhil.




King Fahd Dam, located in Bisha governorate in Asir province, is one of the largest concrete dams in the Middle East. (SPA)

All these measures demonstrate the Kingdom’s steadfast attention to not only its own issues with water scarcity but also the global challenge to use water sustainably.

One of the Kingdom’s main obstacles to achieving sustainable development is the dearth of renewable water resources and the rising demand for water.

With the dedicated measures being taken by both the private and public sectors, the Kingdom has the potential to turn its lack of water into a long-term success story — one that could serve as a model for other countries struggling with water scarcity.

 


Saudi crown prince, Greek PM discuss Iran-Israel tensions in phone call

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi crown prince, Greek PM discuss Iran-Israel tensions in phone call

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone on Sunday with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss the escalating situation between Israel and Iran, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the region, with particular focus on the repercussions of Israeli military operations targeting Iran.

They stressed the need for restraint and de-escalation, and underlined the importance of resolving disputes through diplomatic means, SPA added.

The phone call comes amid heightened tensions following a series of tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries.

The latest flare-up has raised fears of a broader regional conflict, with international leaders urging all parties to avoid further escalation.


Saudi foundation displays projects at Dutch ‘GreenTech’ exhibition

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi foundation displays projects at Dutch ‘GreenTech’ exhibition

  • Morooj highlighted its technical and operational capabilities, as well as its innovative environmental solutions based on best practices and global standards

RIYADH: The Vegetation Cover Development Foundation, known as Morooj, presented its flagship projects as part of the Saudi delegation at Greentech Amsterdam, an international exhibition for horticulture held from June 10-12 in the Dutch capital.

Morooj highlighted its technical and operational capabilities, as well as its innovative environmental solutions based on best practices and global standards.

The foundation also presented examples of its strategic partnerships with various government and private sectors, as well as with international organizations.

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The foundation’s CEO, Wael Bushah, said that its participation in GreenTech further demonstrates the Kingdom’s efforts to reinforce its leadership in the environmental sector on an international level.

The projects displayed included the planting of millions of mangrove trees, greening mosque areas, promoting community participation in environmental sanitation campaigns, and efforts to rehabilitate natural reserves in various regions of the Kingdom, all of which fall under the Saudi Green Initiative.

The foundation’s CEO, Wael Bushah, said that its participation in GreenTech further demonstrates the Kingdom’s efforts to reinforce its leadership in the environmental sector on an international level.

The exhibition, one of the world’s leading events focused on environmental innovations and sustainable agricultural technologies, is also an opportunity to build new partnerships and exchange expertise on the latest innovations in sustainable agriculture, afforestation, and ecosystem restoration.

Ultimately, Murooj aims to become an interactive platform for knowledge transfer and application, creating meaningful environmental and social impact in the Kingdom.

The foundation’s role of strengthening its international presence and exchanging successful experiences with various global environmental entities and organizations has been crucial to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, founded under Saudi Vision 2030.

SGI, which celebrated its second anniversary earlier this year, has reinforced the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a key contributor to global efforts to combat climate change and enhance environmental sustainability by promoting renewable energy, protecting terrestrial and marine areas, and reaching net-zero domestically by 2060, among other initiatives.

 


Saudi Arabia displays biotech vision at US convention

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia displays biotech vision at US convention

  • The center will give presentations on biotechnology and health research, the Saudi Biobank, and the sector’s role in Vision 2030

RIYADH: The Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences will join the Saudi pavilion at the BIO International Convention in Boston, US, from June 16 to 19.

This will be the first joint national representation of Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology sector at the event, aligning with Vision 2030 and the National Biotechnology Strategy.

The King Abdullah center will display national initiatives and host meetings with global biotech companies to explore research and development partnerships.

The pavilion’s program features five sessions, among them a “super session” on innovation and opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology sector.

The center will also give presentations on biotechnology and health research, the Saudi Biobank, and the sector’s role in Vision 2030.

The Ministry of Health will launch an accelerator program for biotech startups and host a reception for global investors and industry experts to discuss potential partnerships.

The participation underscores Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support research and development through digital infrastructure, regulatory support, and institutional collaboration.

 


Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
Updated 15 June 2025
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Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

  • Ali Al-Herz turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books, offering visitors space where memory, philosophy, culture come alive

DHAHRAN: In the quiet village of Umm Al-Hamam, located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, a lifelong passion for books has been transformed into a cultural haven.

Ali Al-Herz, a bibliophile and literary archivist, has turned his home into Jadal Library, a treasure trove of over 37,000 books, more than 100,000 newspapers and magazines, and antiques, some dating back more than a century. 

Yet Jadal is not just a library; it is much more than that. It is a museum to explore, a philosophical space to reflect, and a stand against forgetting important cultural stories.

Al-Herz told Arab News: “Since I was born I have been surrounded by my mother’s books. I grew up immersed in this passion to the point where it completely took hold of me; I became a bookworm.”

The spark that ignited it all was when Al-Herz encountered the epic “Sirat Antar” at age 13. “From that epic and through it, I began to look into other worlds,” he said.  

This curiosity and fascination ultimately led Al-Herz to create one of Saudi Arabia's most unique initiatives.

The name “Jadal” means “debate” or “discussion” in Arabic, reflecting the library’s curious spirit. For Al-Herz, the goal is not just to preserve texts but also to preserve the idea of questioning and exploring ideas.

Al-Herz said: “I chose this name for the library because it is deeply rooted in ancient Greek philosophical history and in our own Arab-Islamic cultural tradition, particularly in our religious heritage.”

The philosophical atmosphere fills three main halls — named after Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle — which welcome visitors into a curated world of reading and reflection.  

Rare manuscripts, ancient texts, newspapers, and antiques have been carefully archived. Each piece is a whisper from the past speaking into the future. 

Al-Herz explained: “Even my recent focus on buying books has mostly shifted toward rare editions and old prints, to create a harmony between heritage and modernity.”

But Jadal is not stuck in nostalgia, as every two weeks Al-Herz holds a literary gathering. The event brings back a tradition that was once important in the intellectual life of Arabs.

It is an environment where writers, scholars, and thinkers gather over Arabic coffee to exchange ideas in a vibrant atmosphere.

And in a time when people seek instant information online, Al-Herz still uses traditional methods. “There is an ongoing struggle between two generations,” he observed. “Victory will ultimately go to this latter generation once my generation becomes extinct. Paper libraries will then be transformed into museums.”

Perhaps he is right; but for now, in the heart of Qatif’s countryside, Jadal Library lives on, and it is a place where ink, memory, debate, and heritage continue to shape the cultural soul of the Kingdom.


Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

  • Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization recently made history by chairing the 51st advisory committee meetings of the International Mobile Satellite Organization in London.

Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee, creating a milestone for both the Kingdom and the Arab world in maritime governance, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

His role also reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international maritime organizations and commitment to advancing maritime communication and safety systems.

Al-Junaidi managed the sessions and acted as a neutral facilitator, helping member states reach consensus on key issues, including oversight of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, implementation of Long Range Tracking and Safety standards and audit reviews for satellite communication providers.

He also led discussions on proposed maritime safety regulation amendments, monitored the organization’s strategic direction to ensure alignment with IMO standards and submitted the committee’s recommendations to the General Assembly.

The 51st session took place at the IMO headquarters in London, with representatives from 44 countries engaging in in-depth discussions on key maritime challenges.