Saudi Arabia to build over 1,000 rainwater dams in major sustainability push

Dubai: Saudi Arabia will construct more than 1,000 rainwater harvesting dams across the country as part of a landmark national drive to ensure water sustainability and strengthen environmental resilience, the Kingdom’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture has announced.

Described as one of the most ambitious undertakings in the Kingdom’s environmental transformation, the initiative aligns with the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

Speaking at a press briefing in Riyadh, Minister Abdulrahman Al Fadley outlined the Kingdom’s accelerating progress under the National Environment Strategy. The wide-reaching agenda is transforming policy, regulation, infrastructure, and investment across the environmental and water sectors.

The planned dams are expected to harvest a combined annual capacity of four million cubic metres of rainwater. The collected water will support groundwater recharge, agriculture, and the restoration of natural ecosystems.

The announcement coincided with an update on the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40 million hectares of degraded land.

To date, more than 151 million trees have been planted, and over 500,000 hectares of land have been restored. The number of national parks has soared from 18 to over 500. Protected terrestrial areas now span 18 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s territory, while marine protected zones have expanded by 260 per cent since 2016.

Additionally, more than 8,000 endangered species have been successfully reintroduced to their native habitats.

Saudi Arabia has also introduced robust regulatory frameworks for environmental protection, meteorology, and waste management — two of which are being implemented for the first time in the country’s history. Five specialised environmental centres have been established, alongside the launch of the region’s largest environmental fund to finance green projects and encourage private-sector involvement.

Al Fadley highlighted a sharp rise in enforcement and compliance activities:

Air quality is now monitored nationwide, supported by 240 active stations and expanded meteorological coverage using advanced forecasting systems.

Saudi Arabia’s strides in water sustainability have drawn global recognition. The Kingdom has doubled its water production since 2016 to 16.6 million cubic metres per day — 75 per cent of which is desalinated seawater — making it the world’s largest producer of desalinated water.

Strategic water storage capacity has surged by 600 per cent, and daily delivery now reaches more than 22,000 population centres, including mountain communities located up to 3,000 metres above sea level.

The volume of reused water has risen from 251 million to 550 million cubic metres, now comprising 32 per cent of total water use. Energy consumption in the water sector has been reduced by 50 per cent, thanks to efficiency programmes led by the National Center for Water Efficiency and Conservation.

Saudi Arabia’s water policies have earned it international recognition, with the United Nations Water Conference naming the Kingdom a global model for sustainable water management under Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Completed water projects now exceed SR230 billion in value, including SR10 billion in public infrastructure and more than SR45 billion through private-sector partnerships.

The Kingdom is also placing increased emphasis on food security. Agricultural GDP has reached SR118 billion — an 8 per cent rise from last year and a 39 per cent increase since 2020.

Domestic food production now stands at 12 million tonnes, with Saudi Arabia achieving full self-sufficiency in dates, milk, and eggs, along with high sufficiency rates in vegetables and poultry. The Kingdom also remains the world’s leading exporter of dates.