Saudi Arabia puts Rabigh 4 into operation in the Red Sea with 600 million liters per day, 1.2 billion liter tanks, and an annual production of 219 billion liters to strengthen supply in one of the driest regions on the planet.

Written by Valdemar Medeiros

Published on 23/05/2026 at 19:40

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Rabigh 4 produces 600 million liters of water per day in the Red Sea and expands Saudi desalination to Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia has put into operation the Rabigh 4 IWP, one of the largest reverse osmosis desalination plants in the country, built on the coast of the Red Sea to produce 600,000 m³ of drinking water per day. In liters, this means 600 million liters daily, a volume sufficient to make the plant a central piece of Saudi water security.

The plant was developed by a consortium led by ACWA Power, alongside Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co. and Almoayyed Group, with an operation contract for 25 years. The project was planned to primarily serve the regions of Mecca and Medina, two strategic areas in a country where drinking water heavily depends on desalination.

Rabigh 4 transforms Red Sea water into 600 million liters of potable water per day

Rabigh 4 uses seawater reverse osmosis technology, known by the acronym SWRO. In this process, saltwater passes through high-pressure membranes that separate salts and impurities, producing potable water on a large scale.

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1.2 million m³ tanks ensure two days of operational reserve

In addition to the desalination plant, the project includes storage tanks with a total capacity of 1.2 million m³. Converting to liters, this is equivalent to 1.2 billion liters of stored water.

SWPC reported that this capacity corresponds to approximately two days of production from the plant. This reserve helps increase the reliability of the system, allowing greater stability in supply to Mecca, Medina, and areas connected to the water network.

The Rabigh 4 contract was valued at around 2.54 billion Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately US$ 677 million. The structure follows the independent water plant model, where the private consortium develops, builds, operates, and maintains the asset for the long term.

According to SWPC, the winning consortium is formed by ACWA Power, Almoayyed Group, and Haji Abdullah Alireza Company. The plant was designed to operate for 25 years from the commercial operation date, reinforcing the role of the private sector in major Saudi water projects.

Rabigh 4 doubles ACWA Power’s desalination capacity in the region

ACWA Power already operates the Rabigh 3 IWP, also with a capacity of 600,000 m³ per day, in the same region. With the addition of Rabigh 4, the company’s combined capacity in Rabigh reaches 1.2 million m³ per day.

This data shows the strategic concentration of water infrastructure on the Red Sea coast. The region functions as an essential corridor to supply urban centers, industrial hubs, and areas linked to the religious flow of Mecca and Medina.

Reverse osmosis replaces older models and reduces operational consumption

Rabigh 4 was designed with reverse osmosis technology, a model that is gaining ground over older thermal desalination systems. The advantage lies in the lower relative energy consumption and the possibility of integrating efficiency improvements throughout the operation.

The CEO of SWPC, Khaled Alqureshi, stated in 2023 that the project was designed to reduce electricity consumption, cut operational costs, and increase local content in the production chain. This type of directive is central for a country that needs to produce water on a large scale without indefinitely raising energy costs.

Plant began operation in 2026, within the timeframe set by the contract

The official forecast was for Rabigh 4 to begin commercial operation in the first quarter of 2026. In May 2026, the specialized publication MEES reported that the plant was already online and at full capacity, according to an announcement by ACWA Power in its first-quarter results report.

This milestone is important because it confirms the transition of the project from the construction phase to the operational phase. From there, the plant effectively integrates into the Saudi supply network, reinforcing the availability of potable water in the west of the country.

Rabigh 4 shows how arid countries are transforming the sea into water infrastructure

Saudi Arabia puts Rabigh 4 into operation in the Red Sea with 600 million liters per day, tanks of 1.2 billion liters, and annual production of 219 billion liters to reinforce supply in one of the driest regions on the planet — Credits: Smart Water Magazine

Rabigh 4 is not just an isolated industrial project. It is part of a larger strategy by Saudi Arabia to reduce water vulnerability in a territory where demand is growing and the natural availability of fresh water is limited.

With 600 million liters per day, 219 billion liters per year, and 1.2 billion liters in tanks, the plant demonstrates the scale that desalination has reached in the Middle East. What was once complementary technology has now become one of the foundations of urban supply in arid regions.

The question remains as to how far this model can advance, because producing water from the sea has ceased to be an emergency solution and has become one of the biggest infrastructure bets for countries living on the brink of water scarcity.

Saudi Arabia puts Rabigh 4 into operation in the Red Sea with 600 million liters per day, 1.2 billion liter tanks, and an annual production of 219 billion liters to strengthen supply in one of the driest regions on the planet.

Rabigh 4 produces 600 million liters of water per day in the Red Sea and expands Saudi desalination to Mecca and Medina.

Rabigh 4 transforms Red Sea water into 600 million liters of potable water per day

1.2 million m³ tanks ensure two days of operational reserve

Rabigh 4 doubles ACWA Power’s desalination capacity in the region

Reverse osmosis replaces older models and reduces operational consumption

Plant began operation in 2026, within the timeframe set by the contract

Rabigh 4 shows how arid countries are transforming the sea into water infrastructure

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Saudi Arabia puts Rabigh 4 into operation in the Red Sea with 600 million liters per day, 1.2 billion liter tanks, and an annual production of 219 billion liters to strengthen supply in one of the driest regions on the planet.

Rabigh 4 produces 600 million liters of water per day in the Red Sea and expands Saudi desalination to Mecca and Medina.

Rabigh 4 transforms Red Sea water into 600 million liters of potable water per day

1.2 million m³ tanks ensure two days of operational reserve

Rabigh 4 doubles ACWA Power’s desalination capacity in the region

Reverse osmosis replaces older models and reduces operational consumption

Plant began operation in 2026, within the timeframe set by the contract

Rabigh 4 shows how arid countries are transforming the sea into water infrastructure

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A 250-ton transformer traveled 1,929 km by road in India on a slow and planned journey that demonstrates how the power grid relies on giant loads, detours, and impossible routes for regular trucks.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

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