The national water exercise was a success, with the participation of 20 entities, to enhance water security
the Saudi Water Authority witnessed the activities of the national exercise “Water-”, which represents a significant strategic step in the Kingdom’s journey towards enhancing water security. This large-scale exercise was conducted with the active participation of more than 20 governmental and military entities, in addition to health and service sectors and leading private sector companies, reflecting the integrated efforts of the state in protecting its vital resources.
Crisis scenario: A realistic simulation of service disruptions
The exercise, titled “Major Water Service Disruption in Makkah and Al-Baha Regions,” simulated a fire in one of the main electrical rooms of the Shuqaiq power plant. The scenario involved the plant going offline and some of its associated water transmission systems shutting down, leading to a hypothetical widespread water supply disruption in the affected areas. These complex scenarios aim to put all relevant authorities to a real-world test of their response speed and ability to manage emergencies.
Water security is a fundamental pillar of the Kingdom's vision
This exercise comes within the context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's growing focus on the water sector, as the Kingdom is a global leader in desalination. The exercise falls under a comprehensive program implemented by the water sector to build proactive preparedness and ensure the sustainability of water supplies. Protecting water infrastructure is an integral part of national security, especially in light of global environmental and climate challenges, making the testing of emergency plans a pressing necessity to guarantee the continued flow of water to citizens, residents, and visitors to the Holy Mosque in Mecca.
Integration of efforts between the military and civilian sectors
The national exercise “Water-” highlighted a high level of coordination between different sectors, with participation not only from technical water authorities but also from security, military, and health sectors. This collaborative effort underscores that managing water crises requires an integrated system capable of addressing the security, health, and social repercussions of any potential disruption and ensuring business continuity under all circumstances.
Enhancing reliability and exercise results
The exercise primarily aimed to enhance the reliability of water supplies by raising the level of preparedness and response, and testing the effectiveness of emergency plans and communication mechanisms between different operations rooms. The exercise's final results demonstrated an advanced level of readiness and integration among the participating sectors, reflecting the efficiency of the Saudi water system and its high capacity to manage emergencies and crises effectively and competently, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals of achieving a sustainable and secure water sector.
