In an increasingly resource-constrained world, where water has become critical to both economic growth and national security, Saudi Arabia is calling for deeper international collaboration on one of the defining challenges of our time.
Over the past five decades, the kingdom has built one of the world’s most advanced and rapidly evolving water management ecosystems at national scale, operating over 500 water production facilities with total water production capacity exceeding 16.2 million cubic meters per day, includes desalination, groundwater, and surface water.
As part of its commitment to global water security, the Saudi Water Authority has announced the return of the Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference (IDWS). The event will run from 7 to 9 December 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, with a major focus on governance, innovation, investment and practical solutions for water security
IDWS 2026 is expected to grow by more than 50 percent on the previous year, drawing over 10,000 participants from 140 countries alongside 250 speakers and 150 exhibitors.
Artificial intelligence will play a central role in this year's programme, exploring how it is transforming water systems through predictive operations, digital twins, intelligent infrastructure and next-generation decision-support platforms.
His Excellency Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkareem, President of the Saudi Water Authority, said: "Water security is one of the defining challenges of our time. Around the world, communities, industries and economies are facing growing pressure from scarcity, climate change and rising demand. Addressing these challenges will require stronger international collaboration, faster innovation and greater investment in practical solutions.
"Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom has built one of the world's most advanced and efficient water systems, supported by more than fifty years of experience in desalination, infrastructure development and sector governance. As the sector evolves, technologies such as artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities to optimise operations, improve resilience and strengthen long-term water security.”
IDWS 2026 reflects Saudi Arabia's growing role in scalable water financing, public-private partnerships and large-scale infrastructure investment. Alongside the main conference programme, IDWS 2026 will feature live demonstrations, venture capital matching zones, startup pitch platforms, investor roundtables and closed-door strategic sessions focused on accelerating project financing and delivery.
The exhibition will span desalination technology, AI-driven asset management, circular economy solutions and giga-project portfolio management, with dedicated sessions on water's intersection with energy, mining, manufacturing, agriculture and urban development.
IDWS 2026 positions Saudi Arabia not only as a major producer of water, but as a global platform for the technologies, governance models and investment partnerships needed to address the world’s water security challenge.
Registration for IDWS 2026 is now open at idwsc.com.
The Saudi Water Authority (SWA), formerly known as the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), is the principal government entity regulating, supervising, and developing the water sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, SWA drives the National Water Strategy through localised development and next-generation technologies to tackle global water scarcity. SWA is the host organisation behind the Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference (IDWS). Taking place from 7 to 9 December 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, IDWS 2026 brings together global leaders, innovators, and investors to accelerate scalable, sustainable water solutions. For more details, visit IDWS Conference.
