A consortium led by Atkins, a member of the Canadian construction major SNC-Lavalin, has won an advisory services contract from Saudi National Water Company (NWC) to provide sustainable sanitation services in the kingdom.

Comprising three flagship privatization projects (Jeddah, Dammam, Turaif, Arar, Sakaka), these are aimed at improving the current wastewater infrastructure in the cities of Jeddah, Dammam and Northern Border region for more than seven  million  inhabitants.

This is the first privatization project for NWC, said a statement from Atkins.

The consortium is led by financial consultant Mizuho Bank and supported by legal consultant White & Case.

The projects will be developed using the Build-Operate-Transfer / Build-Operate-Own (BOT/BOO) scheme to finance the construction of wastewater treatment facilities, where private funds are used to construct and commercially operate a facility before ownership is transferred to a public entity, it added.

Francois-Xavier Basselot, Atkins’ market director for water in the Middle East, said: "With strong economic development and a rising population, the current sanitation infrastructure across the kingdom is not adequate and needs to be expanded."

"Through these flagship projects, the NWC, with support from the consortium, will bring much needed improvements to the environment, ecology and public health for the citizens of Saudi Arabia," he noted.
 
Currently a low percentage of the wastewater produced in the country is collected by the existing network and treated, said the top official.
 
Atkins, he stated, will provide advice on public-private collaboration as well as insights on the technical requirements such as conceptual design of the wastewater treatment plant facilities, environmental impact review and guidance, or procurement and bid evaluation support.
 
Saudi Arabia has been diversifying and modernizing the industrial base of the country in line with the National Transformation Program, Saudi Vision 2030, to be less dependent on petroleum resources. The Program is also aimed at promoting privatization to reduce public spending.-TradeArabia News Service