Jeddah and Riyadh lead the region in water quality for its efforts in reusing urban wastewater

Jeddah and Riyadh lead the region in water quality for its efforts in reusing wastewater, according to Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Water Index. Major cities in the Kingdom are in need of greater investment and prioritization to improve their resiliency due to its geographical location and increased urbanization.

The index, conducted by Arcadis in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), explores water sustainability of 50 cities across the world based on its robust (resiliency), effective (efficiency) and healthy (quality) water environment. The report finds that cities in Saudi Arabia need greater investment when it comes to their ability to withstand storm water and drinking water shortages, with climate adaptation and resiliency being the most pressing issue for city leaders.

Sameer Daoud, Global Business leader – Water at Arcadis Middle East, commented: “Water demand is rising, aquifers are being depleted and the threat of extreme weather is increasingly real, meaning that cities in the region can be stressed without enough water. Our water index highlights the areas of opportunity for cities to inform decision-making around how they use and manage water, hopefully making them more sustainable economically, environmentally and for the benefit of the people.”

The index underlines Saudi’s rapid population growth creating further challenges in water stress and balance. Consequently, the Ministry of Water’s increase on the water tariff intends to result in a significant reduction in water use across the country.