The Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has announced the issuance of request for proposals (RFPs) to pre-qualified bidders for its ambitious Riyadh-Qassim Independent Water Transmission Pipeline (IWTP) project. Once completed, the pipeline will have a transmission capacity of 685,000 cubic metres per day, ensuring a substantial boost to the region's water infrastructure.
The project also includes significant storage capabilities, with tanks that can hold up to 1.6 million cubic metres of water, alongside 11 city gates designed to manage distribution. The project will be developed under a Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) model, with commercial operations expected to commence in the third quarter of 2029.
This IWTP initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's broader goals of sustainable water resource development and the provision of high-quality, affordable water services.
Twenty developer consortia have been pre-qualified for the project, a list that includes international heavyweights such as Spain's Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios, Japan's Marubeni Corporation, Italy's Sicim, and various Chinese companies including Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment and Harbour Engineering Company. Additionally, regional players such as the UAE’s Utico and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Kuwait's Gulf Investment Corporation, and Bahrain's Lamar Holding are also in the running.
In December of last year, 31 companies initially expressed interest in the Riyadh-Qassim project, 19 of which were Saudi firms. Among the pre-qualified Saudi companies are Abdul Aziz Al Ajlan Sons, Hak Pijpleidingen Saudi, Al Bawani Water & Power, and Al-Fahd Trading Industries & Contracting.
The pipeline, which will stretch 859 kilometres, aims to meet the water needs of the Riyadh and Qassim regions and their respective governorates. Under the terms of the agreement with SWPC, the successful bidder will commit to providing the full transmission capacity to the Saudi utility company through a 35-year water transmission agreement.
