RIYADH — Emir of Tabuk Prince Fahd bin Sultan inaugurated 23 development projects in the sectors of environment, water, and agriculture worth over SR3.8 billion. He also laid the foundation stone for 25 projects costing more than SR580 million. Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley was present at the inaugural ceremony held at the emirate headquarters in Tabuk on Sunday. These projects serve the region's residents and support environmental and water sustainability, in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Speaking on the occasion, Prince Fahd thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for their commitment to providing environmental, water, and agricultural services to citizens. "These development projects are a continuation of the great support that citizens and residents in general, and the Tabuk region in particular, receive from the wise leadership so as to improve the quality of life and establish projects that have a direct impact on human life," the emir said. For his part, Minister Al-Fadley stressed that the launched projects come in support of achieving environmental, water and agricultural sustainability, in accordance with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, and raising the quality of life in the Tabuk region. He said that the Saudi Water Authority has completed the implementation of two water projects at a cost exceeding SR2.3 billion, which included the project to establish small desalination plants on the western coast with a design capacity of 93500 cubic meter per day, as well as to increase the supply of desalinated water in the fields of Duba, Al-Wajh and Umluj, in addition to completing the project to establish water transport systems for small stations with a design capacity of 72000 cubic meters per day, and to increase the supply of desalinated water in the fields of Duba and Umluj. The launched projects also include 16 projects implemented by the National Water Company to enhance the drinking water distribution system and provide water and sanitation services in the Tabuk region, at a cost exceeding SR860.6 million. These include six water projects at a cost exceeding SR309 million, which cover extending more than 290000 linear meters of water lines and networks, and a purification plant with a capacity of 150000 cubic meters per day, in addition to the construction of four operational tanks with a storage capacity of 6500 cubic meters, as part of the implementation of water purification plant projects for the comprehensive Tabuk Water Project. The projects also include the implementation of the 9th phase of the drinking water networks in Tabuk City and the project to implement drinking water networks in Duba governorate, and the first phase of the project of drinking water networks and tanks for the villages of Duba governorate. This is in addition to the implementation of drinking water networks in the neighborhoods of Abu Shajarah, Al-Jabun, Al-Ulya and Al-Naseem in Umluj governorate, and the implementation of the remaining works of the fifth phase of the drinking water networks project in Tayma governorate. The National Water Company implemented projects to enhance environmental sustainability and eliminate environmental damage to citizens in the Tabuk region. These projects included 10 sewage projects at a cost of more than SR551.6 million, including the extension of more than 433000 linear meters of sewage networks and main lines, in addition to the construction of treatment plants with a total capacity of approximately 25000 cubic meters per day, in addition to the implementation of phase 14 of the sewage lines and networks project in Tabuk City, phase 12 of the implementation of main lines and sewage networks in Tabuk City, the extension of sewage networks in the neighborhoods of Durrat Tabuk and Al-Aliya 2, the establishment of sewage networks in the neighborhoods of Al-Morouj and Al-Dahiya in the Duba governorate, phase 5 of the implementation of sewage networks in Tayma, phase 3 of the expansion of the treatment plant in Al-Wajh, phase 1 of the implementation of the sewage project in Umluj governorate, extension of the expulsion line from the main pumping station to the treatment plant in Umluj governorate, the backup power supply project for treatment plants in Tabuk governorates, and the project to connect sewage services to Tabuk University Housing. The Saudi Water Partnership Company implemented a project to construct the Tabuk 2 wastewater treatment plant, with a design capacity of 90,000 cubic meters per day, reaching 135,000 cubic meters at peak capacity, at a total cost exceeding SR550 million. This project aims to reduce environmental impact and utilize the treated water for industrial and irrigation purposes. The General Irrigation Authority completed two projects to replace well water and mitigate flood risks, at a cost exceeding SR92 million. These projects included the construction of the fourth group of dams in the Tabuk region (Al-Baqar Dam), with a storage capacity exceeding 3.7 million cubic meters, and a project to construct and complete repairs to the Wadi Dam Dam in the Tabuk region, with a storage capacity exceeding 2.5 million cubic meters. Two projects were implemented by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification to cultivate and produce mangrove trees north of the Red Sea and to protect new pastoral reserves in the region at a cost exceeding SR18 million. The projects for which the foundation stones were laid included 16 projects implemented by the National Water Company at a cost exceeding SR468.5 million, and a project for the General Irrigation Corporation at a cost of nearly SR49 million. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is also implementing two projects at a total cost of over SR7.7 million, while the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program is implementing five projects in the region at a cost exceeding SR45 million. The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification is also implementing a project worth SR10.6 million.
