Saudi Water Authority Launches Global Water Regulation Forum To Shape The Future Of Water Governance With IDRA As The Strategic Partner

A new annual global platform established by the Saudi Water Authority, with the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) as Strategic Partner, to debut alongside the IDRA World Congress 2026 in Riyadh from 1–5 November.

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — As water security becomes one of the world’s defining challenges, effective regulation has emerged as a critical enabler of resilient and sustainable water systems.

Responding to that need, the Saudi Water Authority (SWA), with the International Desalination and Reuse Association as the strategic partner, has established the Water Regulation Forum, a new annual global platform dedicated to advancing regulatory excellence and international cooperation across the water sector.

The inaugural one-day edition of the Forum will take place on November 1, alongside the IDRA World Congress 2026, hosted by SWA in Riyadh from 1 to 5 November under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).

The Forum brings together water regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance regulatory excellence and foster international collaboration. It serves as a premier venue for the exchange of best practices in policy and legislative development, the promotion of innovative regulatory frameworks, and the strengthening of governance across the global water sector.

Saudi Arabia offers a fitting home for the Forum. The Kingdom operates one of the world’s largest integrated water systems and is the world’s largest producer of desalinated water, accounting for more than 22 percent of global desalination capacity. It produces over 16.2 million cubic meters of water every day, delivered through a network exceeding 14,000 kilometers of transmission pipelines. This scale, built in a country with no perennial rivers and among the world’s lowest levels of renewable freshwater resources, has positioned the Kingdom as a global reference for large-scale water management.

H.E. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim, President, Saudi Water Authority, said: “The Kingdom has built one of the world’s most advanced and integrated water systems, and with that comes a responsibility to share what we have learned. The Water Regulation Forum reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation and bringing together the global regulatory community to exchange knowledge and advance the governance that underpins water security worldwide.”

As the Strategic Partner, IDRA brings its global network of water leaders, its technical depth across desalination, reuse, and governance, and its international convening power to the Forum. Working alongside the Saudi Water Authority, IDRA helps shape the Forum's agenda, connect the world's regulators and decision-makers, and establish it as the leading global platform for water regulation.

Shannon McCarthy, Secretary General, IDRA, said: "Regulation is where water solutions succeed or stall. As the world scales desalination and reuse, the frameworks that govern them have never mattered more. As Strategic Partner, IDRA is proud to help build the Water Regulation Forum alongside the Saudi Water Authority, and to bring together the regulators and decision-makers who will shape the future of the sector."

The launch of the Forum comes at a pivotal moment for the global water sector. As countries expand desalination, scale water reuse, respond to climate pressures, encourage private-sector participation, and accelerate digital transformation, effective regulation has become increasingly essential.

The Forum will focus on five priority themes:

• International best practices in water regulation.
• ⁠Policy, legislation, and sustainable sector regulation.
• ⁠Innovation and digital transformation.
• ⁠Integrated water resources governance.
• ⁠Operational efficiency and service reliability.

The initiative reflects Saudi Vision 2030’s ambition to position the Kingdom as a global leader in water innovation, sustainability, and governance.

By convening the world’s regulatory community in Riyadh, the Saudi Water Authority is establishing a premier international platform for the exchange of knowledge, solutions, and expertise that will shape the future of water regulation and governance worldwide.

The IDRA World Congress 2026 will take place from 1–5 November 2026 at the King Faisal Convention Center, InterContinental Riyadh. Registration and further information are available at idraworldcongress.org.

About SWA

The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) oversees and regulates all water-sector activities, ensuring strong governance, high service standards, and continuous improvement in water management practices. Through its mandate, SWA plays a central role in advancing the National Water Strategy and supporting the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
swa.gov.sa

About IDRA

The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing desalination and water reuse as essential solutions to global water scarcity. Founded in 1973, IDRA serves as an international platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and advocacy across the water sector. Its network spans utilities, technology providers, engineering firms, researchers, policymakers, financiers, and other stakeholders from more than 60 countries.

IDRA holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is an accredited observer to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and is a member of UN-Water. IDRA is a Trusted Partner of the United Nations.

About IDRA World Congress

The IDRA World Congress 2026 is the sector’s leading global gathering, held from 1 to 5 November 2026 in Riyadh under the theme “Driving Global Water Sustainability Through Innovation.” Hosted by the Saudi Water Authority under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, it convenes regulators, utilities, researchers, and industry leaders from more than 60 countries for a peer-reviewed technical program, high-level sessions, a global exhibition, and activities taking place alongside the inaugural Water Regulation Forum.