Saudi Arabia's National Water Company has announced plans to tender later this year 51 sewage treatment plants (STPs) which will boast a combined treatment capacity of 888,000 cu m per day.

These projects are expected to create significant investment opportunities for local and international water-sector companies, with private-sector partners undertaking the rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of existing assets over 15-year periods, supported by capital investments at competitive rates, said NWC in its statement.

According to NWC, the long-term operation and maintenance programme will also support the development of Saudi Arabia’s water sector by attracting local and international capital as well as introducing and localising advanced technologies.

It also involves transferring technical knowledge to Saudi personnel, and creating long-term partnerships with private-sector companies, it stated.

These tender awards represent a major step in NWC’s ongoing programme to modernise existing wastewater infrastructure, improve treatment capacity and operational performance, and expand private-sector participation in Saudi Arabia’s water and environmental services sector, it added.-TradeArabia News Service