Ecolab, a global sustainability leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, and the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) have entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate water innovation and the Kingdom’s sustainability objectives.
The agreement was formalised at the US-Saudi Water Summit 2025 in Palo Alto, California last month, where international water leaders gathered to explore transformative partnerships supporting Saudi Arabia's water sector evolution.
The MoU provides a framework for collaboration between SWA and Ecolab to jointly advance sustainable water management as a strategic enabler for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. By optimising water use, the partnership will not only safeguard resources and enhance water quality, but also reduce energy consumption, cut CO2 emissions, and lower operational costs. Together, SWA and Ecolab will harness global expertise to shape advanced water circularity solutions in the Kingdom, focusing on areas that include:
• Exchanging insights on water management across key sectors, including data centers, refineries, petrochemicals, heavy industries, desalination, manufacturing, food and beverage, and hospitality.
• Contributing to water source selection, regulatory development, performance monitoring, and facilitating workshops on advanced digital solutions such as smart water systems and predictive maintenance.
• Exploring pilot projects in Saudi industrial cities, leveraging Ecolab technologies and global solutions under local operating conditions.
• Identifying opportunities to support innovation through initiatives such as the Rabigh Oasis, the Global Water Innovation Prize (GWIP), collaborative R&D roundtables, and innovation promotions.
Ecolab has a long-standing presence in Saudi Arabia through its Nalco Water business, which has supported leading industrial partners in managing and optimizing water use for more than 45 years. Today, Ecolab’s solutions are applied across sectors from energy and manufacturing to food and hospitality. These solutions help customers conserve water, reduce energy consumption, and advance their sustainability goals alongside long-term business resilience.
Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim, President of the Saudi Water Authority, highlighted the partnership as a step toward building a world-class water sector that safeguards resources, supports national growth, and demonstrates how innovation and sustainability can secure water for future generations in line with Vision 2030.
Stefan Umiastowski, Ecolab’s Senior Vice President & CEO for India, Middle East, and Africa, said: “This collaboration represents an important step in advancing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 commitment to long-term water sustainability in a region where water is one of the most critical resources. As digitalization and AI reshape economies and create new demand patterns, intelligent water management has become essential for sustainable growth. By combining Ecolab's global innovation capabilities with the SWA’s vision and local expertise, we're creating a powerful platform to scale water transformation across the Kingdom's most strategic industries." – TradeArabia News Service
