Riyadh ceremony marks major step in localizing strategic water technologies; eight major national facilities to support Saudi water security and industrial capabilities
RIYADH, Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (WNP): The Saudi Water Authority will host the “Localizing the Water Industry: Knowledge Transfer and Capacity Building” ceremony on Wednesday in Riyadh, marking a major step towards localizing strategic components, technologies and manufacturing capabilities in the Kingdom’s water sector.
The ceremony, being held in collaboration with government entities and local and international industrial companies, will feature the signing of contracts and agreements for the establishment of seven new manufacturing plants.
Together with an existing facility, the new projects will bring the total number of major national manufacturing facilities to eight, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s domestic industrial and technological capabilities in the water sector.
The ceremony will be attended by ministers, senior government officials, ambassadors and chief executives, reflecting the growing importance of water-industry localization and knowledge transfer.
The initiative represents a shift from identifying localization opportunities towards implementing concrete industrial projects, while moving from reliance on imported products to developing strong local manufacturing and technological capabilities capable of competing in domestic and international markets.
Under the promising investment opportunities programme for the localization of water-related industries and services, 18 investment opportunities have been identified in priority areas of the water sector.
Local demand for these industries is expected to exceed SAR15 billion over the next five years, while the wider market across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is estimated at approximately SAR65 billion.
The programme supports the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, the National Water Strategy and the National Industrial Strategy, while contributing to the Kingdom’s efforts to strengthen water security, develop local industrial capabilities and advance technological self-reliance in the water sector.
