The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) has received two Guinness World Records certificates, representing major milestones that highlight the Kingdom’s prominent role in the global water sector.
The records were presented during a ceremony held yesterday at the authority’s headquarters in Riyadh, with Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley in attendance, along with a delegation from Guinness World Records, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The first record acknowledged the world’s largest seawater desalination plant utilizing reverse osmosis (RO) technology, part of Phase II of the Al-Khobar Production System project. This facility boasts a production capacity of 670,852.4 cubic meters per day and was constructed on the smallest land area worldwide for a facility of its size, achieved through innovative technical methodologies and value engineering. The record was officially registered on February 25, 2025.
Lowest energy consumption record
The second record was attained by SWA’s Technical Affairs and Projects Sector for achieving the lowest energy consumption rate for an RO-based desalination plant. The plant recorded a 1.7 kWh per cubic meter during the salt separation stage, with a total energy consumption of 2.34 kWh per cubic meter—the lowest ever documented globally. This achievement was noted during the construction of the Shuaibah Plant (Phase V) on April 22, 2025, and received commendation from the World Bank. With this accomplishment, the authority surpassed the Kingdom’s previous record of 2.27 kWh per cubic meter, establishing a new global benchmark.
These two recent achievements elevate SWA’s total number of Guinness World Records to 11, further solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a global center of excellence and innovation in the water sector, while emphasizing its critical role in fostering a more sustainable future for water resources.
