RIYADH: New technology to purify drinking water using an electrical charge will be expanded in Saudi Arabia after an agreement to increase its use over the next four years.

The capacitive deionization technology will be used to treat around 3,500 cubic meters of water per day and provide clean drinking water.

Stockholm Water Technology has signed an agreement with Saudi company DRC-ChemTec to implement the technology over the next four years.

The Swedish company has also put forward a proposal to use the technology to treat wastewater in the Kingdom so that it can be used for agriculture.

The company said in a statement that this proposal includes a plan to remove micropollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals from treated wastewater.

By passing an electrical current through water, the technology removes contaminants without the need for membrane filters or chemical treatment.

Currently, Saudi Arabia primarily uses two forms of desalination to provide clean drinking water: thermal desalination and reverse osmosis.

Thermal desalination uses fossil fuels to heat and evaporate seawater and collect the clean condensation, while reverse osmosis passes water through a filter-like membrane to remove contaminants.

Capacitive deionization has the potential to minimize waste and reduce energy consumption in water purification.

“Saudi Arabia’s water treatment market is at the forefront of sustainable practices, driven by the urgent need for clean, safe water across industries and a growing focus on water recycling and reuse,” said Karthik Laxman, CEO of Stockholm Water Technology, in a statement.

Husam Aljarba, strategic business development director at DRC-ChemTec, added: “DRC foresees strong growth in the residential and industrial segments, where the flexibility of SWT water treatment systems will provide unique value to customers.”

The Swedish company will supply 1,750 of its systems and will initially focus on providing drinking water. It will then expand into industrial and municipal wastewater treatment.

DRC-ChemTec will install and service the technology and manufacture associated parts, strengthening local production capacity.

Desalination accounts for around 75 percent of Saudi Arabia’s water supply, with the Kingdom producing more than 13.2 million cubic meters per day.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is planning to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May on his first foreign trip of his second term, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two US officials and a source with knowledge of the president's travel.
Saudi Arabia has been taking a more prominent role in US foreign policy. The country has hosted talks between the US and Russia and Ukraine as Trump seeks a ceasefire to the war and the White House has singled out the country as a possible participant in the Abraham Accords.

Trump said earlier this month he would likely make his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia. He said on March 6 he would probably travel there in the next month and a half. He noted the first overseas trip of his first term was to Riyadh in 2017.

One source said April 28 was discussed as a potential date for the visit but was postponed, while an official and a source familiar said the current plan is for Trump to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May, according to Axios.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while no official announcement or confirmation was made from the Saudi side regarding the potential dates of the visit.