Saudi water sector needs more investment, says Al-Fadhli

Saudi Arabia’s water sector needs more technical, industrial, and financial investments to provide adequate services to the citizens, state news agency SPA reported, citing Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, minister of environment, water and agriculture.

The Kingdom’s water sector – which completely relies on desalination – also needs future planning, lower cost of generation, and most importantly, rationalization of consumption, he said on the sidelines of an event.

Demand for water is growing at a rate of 3.5-4.5 percent per annum.

Moreover, the cost of water is rising continuously, while water bills cover no more than 30 percent of the actual cost, Al-Fadhli said.

The Citizen’s Account will help those who cannot afford to pay water bills; therefore, water subsidies should not be provided to all, he added.

Saudi Arabia’s fiscal reform plans include gradually lifting water subsidies by 2020.