NWC Concludes a Contract to Rehabilitate, Operate, and Maintain 9 STPs in 4 Regions at SR +1.3 billion

Today, September 1st, 2026, the National Water Company (NWC) signed the tenth package of long-term operation and maintenance contracts (LTOMs) with a Saudi-Chinese consortium for the rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of 9 environmental treatment plants (STPs) for a period of 15 years in 4 regions under the company’s Northern Cluster, with a total value of more than 1.3 billion Saudi Riyals. The plants covered by the contract include Unaizah, Al-Bukairiyah, Al-Muznib, Al-Ras, Hayel 1, Hayel 2, Baqa’a, Sakaka, and Turaif, with a total design treatment capacity of more than 337,000 cubic meters per day.

The company clarified that the contract was signed by NWC, CEO, Dr. Fuad Alshikhmubarak, together with representatives of the Saudi-Chinese consortium, namely, Armada’s Executive Director Mr. Jamaan Al-Jamaan and Zhangzhou United Waters’ CEO Mr. Liu Meng, in the presence of executive deputies from both sides at the National Water Company’s Head Office in Riyadh.

NWC stated “The signing of this contract is in line with the objectives of the National Water Strategy (NWS), which aims to attract and engage the private sector in investment opportunities to rehabilitate, maintain and operate the company’s existing strategic assets, to achieve environmental sustainability, improve operational efficiency and environmental compliance, and increase the volume of investments in the water sector as part of an innovative model of investment agreements”. 

The company indicated that the value of the contract signed with the Saudi-Chinese consortium exceeds 1.3 billion Saudi Riyals (more than 348 million U.S. dollars), with a tariff of 0.69 Saudi Riyal per cubic meter, i.e. approximately 0.18 U.S. dollar per cubic meter.

NWC noted that it has completed signing eight contracts under the Long-Term Operation and Maintenance (LTOM) program as part of its strategic plans for existing sewage treatment plants (STPs), confirming that the long-term operation and maintenance program is ongoing and that it intends to tender 51 existing STPs with a total capacity of 888,000 cubic meters per day this year. NWC added that these plants represent investment opportunities for international and local companies and that these partnerships will attract significant alliances to rehabilitate existing assets over a 15-year period with capital investments at competitive rates.

The company cited that, through these contracts, it aims to support the national economy by enabling expansion and growth in the water sector, creating investment opportunities and long-term partnerships with local and global private-sector players, attracting and localizing the latest technologies, and transferring knowledge to national personnel. NWC noted that investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s water sector will help attract both local and global capital alike.