Saudi Arabia’s government sector has recorded financial savings exceeding SR300 million ($79.8 million) since the National Center for Water Efficiency and Rationalization began its operations in 2023, while the residential sector achieved savings of nearly SR200 million during the same period TurkicWorld reports via arabnews.
These figures were disclosed by Fahad Al-Dosari, CEO of the National Center for Water Efficiency and Rationalization, in remarks to Al-Eqtisadiah.
Al-Dosari said these savings were driven by programs to improve water use efficiency, detect leaks, and address the causes of waste in buildings and facilities. He noted that the center began its work in 2023 alongside the launch of a strategy built on seven strategic rationalization goals, nine programs, and 45 initiatives.
He explained that inadequate periodic maintenance is the leading cause of water waste, noting that around 80 percent of the leak cases identified by the center were concentrated in ground water tanks, their floats, and hidden connections between meters and tanks.
Savings surge 532%
Al-Dosari pointed to the center’s key achievements, noting rapid growth in daily water savings over a short period: daily water savings reached about 25,000 cubic meters in 2023, before rising to 97,000 cubic meters per day in 2024, then to 142,000 cubic meters per day in 2025.
Daily water savings during the first half of 2026 reached about 158,000 cubic meters per day, an increase of up to 532 percent. The center aims to reach 180,000 cubic meters per day by the end of this year, by adding roughly 40,000 cubic meters per day in new annual savings to the cumulative total achieved since the center’s founding.
Saudi Arabia’s water supply rose in 2025 by more than 1 million cubic meters per day, reaching over 16 million cubic meters per day, making the Kingdom the world’s largest producer of desalinated water.
Government, residential focus
Al-Dosari said the center achieved water savings through two main tracks: the first in the residential sector through leak detection and repair programs as well as improving water consumption efficiency, and the second in the government sector through water auditing initiatives in partnership with government entities to identify and address losses and raise awareness of water conservation.
He added that the center, in cooperation with the Ministries of Education, Health, Defense, and Islamic Affairs, achieved water savings in the government sector of 67,000 cubic meters per day since 2023.
He noted that the center’s efforts included launching a licensing platform for service providers comprising 16 companies, a digital platform for monitoring and analyzing water consumption, preparing three regulatory frameworks and seven guidance manuals, concluding 38 partnerships, and implementing 114 awareness and training events.
He pointed to the expansion of the center’s work to include the agricultural and industrial sectors, in cooperation with the General Authority for Irrigation, with a target of launching a water use efficiency system in the agricultural sector before the end of 2026, alongside preparing a roadmap for the industrial sector that includes efficiency standards, implementation mechanisms, and identifies the highest water-consuming areas.
Water awareness in schools
Al-Dosari said the center has developed a system for classifying irrigation efficiency into three categories, ranging from basic systems to smart irrigation systems that rely on sensors and climate data, with the aim of improving water use efficiency and reducing waste.
He added that the center is working with the Ministry of Education to incorporate water rationalization concepts into school curricula, starting from the primary stage, with plans to expand the initiative to include the intermediate and secondary stages.
