Spanish infrastructure giant Acciona has marked significant progress in the water treatment and desalination sectors in the Middle East, reaching key operational milestones and unveiling innovative technologies to boost efficiency and sustainability.

The company announced commercial operation for three large-scale sewage treatment plants in Saudi Arabia – Madinah-3, Buraydah-2, and Tabuk-2 – following the project commercial operation date (PCOD) milestone. Together, these plants will treat 440,000 cu m of wastewater daily, serving a combined population of approximately 2.45 million.

The treated water is primarily allocated for agricultural reuse to alleviate pressure on scarce freshwater resources, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives to enhance water sustainability and resource efficiency under a public-private partnership model.

In parallel, Acciona continues to lead in desalination innovation, having deployed an advanced turbidity prediction system at the Ras Abu Fontas 3 (RAF 3) reverse osmosis plant in Qatar. This system anticipates changes in seawater quality hours or days ahead, enabling proactive operational adjustments that reduce equipment damage risk and potential plant downtime. The company is refining this technology for expanded global application, leveraging operational data, satellite imagery, and AI algorithms to optimise water clarity management.

Further advancing desalination efficiency, Acciona recently launched a Dual-Model AI Optimization System designed to enhance energy performance at reverse osmosis desalination plants. This system combines a simulation-based model, ACRRO, with a real-time AI tool, Insight, to continuously optimise rack operation parameters, reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving water output. Successfully deployed in Qatar, this innovation is monitored and scaled globally from Acciona’s centralised Water Control Centre (CECOA) in Madrid, Spain.

Guillermo Hijós, O&M Desalination Middle East and Oceania Director at Acciona, emphasises the transformative potential of this digital solution in sustainable water infrastructure, highlighting the symbiosis of predictive simulation and adaptive AI in smarter desalination management.

Additionally, Acciona has integrated a satellite-AI model to forecast marine hazards like algae blooms and oil spills, bolstering operational resilience across the region.

As a global leader in renewable and water solutions, Acciona recorded sales of €19.19 billion ($22.46 billion) in 2024, operating in more than 40 countries and maintaining carbon neutrality since 2016.