Saudis Plan $66 Billion USD Desalination, Wastewater Program

Saudi Arabia’s National Water Co. (NWC) plans to spend $66.4 billion USD on water and wastewater projects over the next eight years, as water consumption grows faster than the kingdom’s burgeoning population, a crisis that threatens its vital oil exports. The projects will focus primarily on the oil-rich country’s bulging biggest cities.  Some $11 billion USD will be spent on more desalination plants, which convert seawater into freshwater, as natural supplies run out. Some of these are expected to be powered by solar energy. Saudi Arabia, which averages 10 centimeters of rain a year, is considered the largest producer of desalinated water in the world...