Led by Aqualia with a 51% stake, alongside Saudi partners Tawzea (39%) and HAACO (10%), a fresh agreement has been signed to manage, operate, and maintain the full water cycle in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Cluster. This region covers Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf, and the Northern Borders, spanning roughly 380,000 square kilometers in the kingdom’s northern expanse and serving over three million residents.
Aqualia serves as the lead operator within the consortium in line with public procurement standards. The Northern Cluster, one of six regional divisions, consolidates the four northern regions. The client authority is the National Water Company (NWC), which oversees water supply and sanitation nationwide and pursues efficiency gains through a structured regional approach.
The overarching government objective is to expand private sector participation in water and sanitation management, driving efficiency gains while preserving social, environmental, and economic sustainability across the entire water cycle.
With a multidisciplinary team drawn from the consortium, the Northern Cluster contract aims to optimize management and deliver social and environmental benefits alongside economic efficiency for the expansive water system in northern Saudi Arabia.
The contract encompasses, among other elements, the management of 92 water treatment plants, 657 reservoirs, 664 collection wells, 150 drinking water pumping stations, 67 tank filling stations, 18,000 kilometers of main pipelines, 14 wastewater treatment plants, and 7,000 kilometers of sewer networks.
Saudi privatization program
MEWA, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, has developed a National Water Strategy (NWS 2030) as part of Vision 2030. The aim is modernization and sustainable development through policy reforms and institutional upgrading, empowering the National Water Corporation to attract private sector participation and improve service efficiency. The plan structures the national water system into six regional distribution units, or clusters, and enables specialized private companies to participate. The reform follows a two-phase approach to financial sustainability of the water sector:
Phase 1 centers on implementing Management, Operations & Maintenance contracts (MOM Contracts) in each cluster for seven years. Phase 2 envisions long-term concession agreements in each cluster.
The six clusters are East, West, North, Northwest, Central, and South. The Northern Cluster includes Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf and the Northern Borders. Among these clusters, Aqualia oversees North and South clusters, covering a combined population of more than eight million and an area larger than Spain. The remaining four administrative regions are managed by consortia led by Suez, Saur, and Veolia.
Aqualia, a global player
Since 2011, Aqualia has operated in the Middle East, with significant projects in Riyadh aimed at optimizing the city’s water supply for millions of residents. The company also participates in wastewater treatment at major sites such as Hadda and Arana in Mecca, supporting ongoing urban water and wastewater operations in the region.
In early 2020, Aqualia acquired a 51% stake in HAAISCO (Haji Abdullah Alireza Integrated Services Ltd) from the Saudi group Haji Abdullah Alireza. It also holds a 51% stake in the King Abdulaziz International Airport concession via Qatarat, expanding its regional footprint.
These acquisitions facilitated rapid progress, including a notable award in 2021 for supplying water to a major industrial complex in Jizan, in the country’s southwest. Aqualia also operates and maintains two desalination plants in Saudi Arabia through HAAISCO.
Aqualia among global leaders
Owned by FCC (51%) and IFM Investors (49%), Aqualia stands as a leading water management company. It ranks among the largest water operators in Europe and globally by the number of people served. The company delivers services to about 45 million users across 17 countries, including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Georgia. In fiscal 2021, Aqualia reported turnover around €1.17 billion with a diversified portfolio valued above €15 billion.
(citation: company disclosures and industry reports)