The desalination project was the only one nominated in three categories at the awards, which recognise achievements across Saudi Arabia’s public and private water sector.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 27 October 2026. Shuqaiq 3 desalination plant, one of Almar Water Solutions’ flagship projects in Saudi Arabia, has won the Social and Community Impact Award at the SHARAKAT Awards 2026, held in Riyadh on 19 October under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
Now in their fourth edition, the SHARAKAT Awards recognise achievements across public and private water projects in Saudi Arabia. This year’s awards covered nine categories.
Shuqaiq 3 also stood out as the only project company nominated in three different categories:
- Operational Excellence – Private-Sector Water Desalination Projects
- Sustainability and Innovation
- Social and Community Impact, in which it was named the winner.
The three nominations reflect the work carried out across the plant’s operations, sustainability and contribution to the local community
A major water project in Saudi Arabia
Located in Jizan Province, in south-western Saudi Arabia, Shuqaiq 3 is one of the country’s major reverse osmosis desalination plants. Developed by a consortium led by Almar, and comprising Marubeni Corporation, ACCIONA and Rawafid Alhadarah Holding Co., the project involved a total CAPEX of approximately US$ 600 million. SHARAKAT is the project’s client and long-term offtaker.
Bringing a project of this scale into operation requires more than desalination technology. It means assembling the right partners, securing long-term finance and combining development, engineering and operating expertise within a structure that can serve the client for decades.
This is a central part of Almar’s role: taking responsibility for a client’s long-term water needs by bringing together the capital, technology and expertise required to develop the infrastructure, and then operating and maintaining it throughout its life. At Shuqaiq 3, this meant helping to form the consortium, develop and finance a major desalination asset and provide long-term operation and maintenance under a 25-year contract.
The plant has been in commercial operation since January 2022 and can produce 450,000 cubic metres of drinking water a day, enough to supply around two million people. It forms part of the infrastructure serving the region’s long-term water needs.
Recognition of social impact and local development
The Social and Community Impact Award highlights Shuqaiq 3’s social contribution and its commitment to local communities, recognising the value it delivers beyond water supply.
“A facility such as Shuqaiq 3 must not only ensure a safe and reliable water supply but also contribute to the development of the communities it serves. This recognition reflects an approach to water asset management that goes beyond operational excellence, placing sustainability and social responsibility at the heart of long-term infrastructure management,” said Mr. Santiago Martínez Mansilla, Asset Management Chief Operating Officer at Almar Water Solutions.
The award comes at a time of significant transformation in Saudi Arabia’s water sector, where public-private collaboration is playing an increasingly important role in the development and management of new infrastructure.
In this context, SHARAKAT oversees a portfolio of 48 public-private partnership projects, of which 15 are already in operation, representing a total investment of SAR 56 billion (c. US$ 15 billion).
The award also recognises the joint efforts of the Shuqaiq Three Company for Water (S3CW) and S3OM teams, responsible for the project’s management and operation, together with the continued support of its shareholders and partners.
About Almar Water Solutions
Almar Water Solutions, part of Jameel Environmental Services, is a global water infrastructure and services company operating across the full water cycle. Headquartered in Spain, the company develops, finances, manages and operates water assets for municipal and industrial clients across Latin America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Its integrated platform covers desalination, drinking water supply, wastewater treatment, water transport and reuse, and tailored industrial water and environmental solutions. Through long-term partnerships, Almar delivers reliable and sustainable infrastructure for regions and industries with complex water needs.
For more information, please visit almarwater.com
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