Saudi-Led Water Study
Syria's Ministry of Energy signed a technical services agreement on 27 August 2026 with the Saudi company ACWA Power and the Saudi National Water Transport Company to prepare studies for an integrated system of water sources, desalination and water transport across the country. The German engineering firm Fichtner joined the arrangement as technical consultant.
The director general of the General Authority for Water Resources, Ahmad al-Kawan, signed for the Syrian side. Raad al-Saadi, head of the energy sector at the Saudi-Syrian Business Council and a vice president at ACWA Power, signed on behalf of the two Saudi companies.
1.2 Million Cubic Meters a Day
The studies will design an integrated network that combines natural sources, desalination plants and water-transport systems. They include solutions for desalinating and moving water at a capacity of up to 1.2 million cubic meters a day, alongside a transport line extending about 400 kilometers.
Officials described the agreement as a founding step toward a strategic project for the water sector, built on integrated technical, engineering and economic studies intended to place investment and execution decisions on a scientific footing.
Assessing the Water Deficit
According to the ministry, the preliminary feasibility studies will assess the current state of water resources and map present and future needs and shortfalls. They will also weigh the optimal mix between seawater desalination and the use of surface and groundwater.
The stated goal is to secure sustainable water sources capable of meeting current and future demand, as the country contends with declining resources and rising consumption.
Part of a Wider Push
The water sector has seen a series of agreements in recent months. In June 2026, the Ministry of Energy signed a deal with a Saudi metering company to supply and install five million smart water meters as part of a shift toward digital management.
In August 2026, the Damascus drinking water and sanitation company signed an agreement with a Czech firm to secure safe drinking water in the town of Ghazlaniya, in the Damascus countryside. That project features a solar-powered desalination plant and a 2,100-meter water line expected to serve about 40,000 people.