Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
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Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
Sector

Overview

Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

Exports from the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector in 2025 decreased by 39.6% compared to the previous year, while imports from the sector decreased by 29.6%. As a result, the trade balance was ⃁ -3.0 million, 11.2% higher than the previous year.

Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector achieved positive growth in the foreign direct investment (FDI) stock at the end of 2024, which amounted to ⃁ 14.8 billion, compared to the FDI stock of 2023, which was ⃁ 14.3 billion.

The inflows of FDI in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector grew by 29.2% in 2024 compared to the previous year, whereas the outflows of FDI showed an increase of 790.4% compared to previous period. Thus, the net flows amounted to ⃁ 470.5 million in 2024, while in 2023, it recorded ⃁ 537.5 million.

The overall distribution of the employed in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector reached 0.1% in second quarter of 2026, decreased from last quarter by 0.25 percentage points (pp) and decreased from a year ago by 0.39 pp.

For its part, the average weekly working hours was 44 hours in the third quarter of 2023, registering a decrease of 0.7% compared to the previous period and a decrease of 1.9% compared to the same quarter of 2022.

The operating revenues of the sector reached ⃁ 32.6 billion in 2024, an increase of 5.4% compared to the previous year. For its part, the operating expenses amounted to ⃁ 18.7 billion, showing an increase of 6% compared to the previous period. As a result, the operating surplus of the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector was ⃁ 5.9 billion, 0.3% lower than the previous period.

Real Sector Indicators

Industrial Production Index

In July 2026, the Industrial Production Index in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector grew 2.6% compared to the previous month. The General Index showed an increased of 10.4% compared to the previous month.

The graph shows the monthly percentage change in the Industrial Production Index (IPI) in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector and the monthly percentage change in the General Industrial Production Index for comparison.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Producer Price Index (PPI)

In July 2026, the General Producer Price Index (PPI) stood at 108.1. The PPI for Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector was 120.9.

The chart shows the monthly evolution of the Producer Price Index in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector, with the General Index provided for comparison.

External Sector & International Trade

Exports and Imports

Exports of the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector reached ⃁ 3.8 million in 2025. The primary destinations for these exports were Republic Federative of Brazil (⃁ 2.2 million), Kingdom of Bahrain (⃁ 724.3 thousand), and Republic of South Africa (⃁ 501.0 thousand).

The graph shows annual exports of Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector by country, measured in trade value.

Trade Balance

In April 2026, the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector recorded exports amounting ⃁ 164.0 thousand and imports totaling ⃁ 162.1 thousand, resulting in a trade balance surplus of ⃁ 1.9 thousand.

The graph shows the monthly evolution of exports and imports in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector, with the line representing the trade balance.

Foreign Licenses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, there were 58 registered in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector, representing a 100.0% increase compared to the previous period.

The graph shows the quarterly trend in the number of foreign licenses obtained by the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

FDI Stock

In 2024, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock reached ⃁ 14.8 billion, marking an increased of 3.3% compared to the previous year.

The graph shows the annual evolution of the FDI stock in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

FDI Flow

In 2024, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflow amounted to ⃁ 732.8 million, while the FDI Outflow stood at ⃁ 262.2 million. Consequently, the FDI Net Inflow was ⃁ 470.5 million, reflecting a decreased of 12.5% compared to the previous year.

The graph illustrates the annual progression of FDI Inflow and Outflow in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector. The line chart represents the FDI Net Inflow.

Note:

FDI inflows: Financial transactions that arise between the FDI institution, direct investors and related companies outside the Saudi economy, which occur during a certain period of time, and form inflows when their positive impact appears in excess of equity and/or debt instruments.

FDI outflows: These are financial transactions that arise between the Foreign Direct Investment Corporation, direct investors, and related companies outside the Saudi economy, and which occur during a certain period of time. They are outflows when their impact appears in a decrease in the side of obligations, such as paid dividends or repayment of loans and credit receivables, or when the foreign shareholder exits.

FDI net inflow: It represents the difference between inflows and outflows of foreign direct investment inflows.

Labor Market

Distribution of the Employed

In the second quarter of 2026, the percentage distribution of employed people in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector reached 0.1%, with 0.1% for men and 0.1% for women.

The graph shows the quarterly evolution of the percentage distribution of employed people by gender in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Working Hours

During the third quarter of 2023, the average hours worked by Saudi men were 41.2, compared to 46.9 hours for non-Saudi men. Likewise, Saudi women averaged 42.2 hours.

The graph shows the average weekly working hours by gender and nationality in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Social Insurance (GOSI)

During the second quarter of 2026, a total of 93,455 participants on the job Subject to the rules and regulations of social insurance were registered in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector, with 91.9% being men (85,907 participants) and 8.1% women (7,548 participants).

The graph shows the quarterly evolution of the number of participants on the job Subject to the rules and regulations of social insurance by gender in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

On-the-job Subscribers in the Private Sector

In 2022 on-the-job subscribers in the private sector was 13,459 for Saudi men and 84,080 for non-Saudi men. On-the-job subscribers was 6,675 for saudi women and 3,454 for non-Saudi women.

The graph shows on-the-job subscribers in the private sector by gender and nationality in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Structural Business

Operating Industrial Units

In 2022, the number of operating industrial units was 12 units, being 9.1% higher than the previous year.

The graph shows the annual evolution of the number of operating industrial units in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Economic Establishments

In 2018, there were 2,441 establishments registered in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector, of which 68% had less than 5 employees, 21.1% had between 5 and 19 employees and 10.9% had more than 20 employees.

The graph shows the annual distribution of establishments categorized by size based on the number of employees in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Revenues and Expenses

In 2024, the operating revenues reached ⃁ 32.6 billion, while operating expenses amounted to ⃁ 18.7 billion, resulting in an operating surplus of ⃁ 5.9 billion for the year.

The graph shows the annual evolution of operating expenses and operating revenues, with the line representing the operating surplus each year.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Net Assets

In 2017 net assets reached an amount of ⃁ 107.3 million, being higher in 1.1% compared to the previous year.

The graph shows the annual evolution of net assets in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Operating Revenues & Expenses in SMEs

In 2024, the operating revenues reached ⃁ 737.9 million in micro establishments, while operating expenses amounted to ⃁ 344.7 million, generating a surplus of ⃁ 253.1 million.

The graph shows the annual evolution of operating expenses and operating revenues, with the line representing the operating surplus each year in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector for micro establishments.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Employee Compensation in SMEs

In 2024, micro enterprises of the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector spent ⃁ 140.0 million in employee compensation, while small enterprises spent ⃁ 376.0 million and medium-sized enterprises spent ⃁ 564.0 million. This amounts to a total of ⃁ 1.1 billion for the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

The graph shows employee compensation by enterprise size over the years in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.

Business Demography

In 2024, the number of active enterprises in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector was 2,897.

The chart shows the number of Active Enterprises in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector by year.

Short-Term Business Indicators

In July 2026, the Operating Revenues Index in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector stood at 125.1.

The chart shows the monthly evolution of the Operating Revenues Index in Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector.

Digital Economy

Digital Economy Indicators

According to the Digital Economy Survey carried out by the General Authority for Statistics in 2022, in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector the use of purchasing cloud computing services (59.4%) and using systems or devices connected to the Internet (59.2%) are highlighted as the most relevant indicators of adoption and use of the digital economy.

The graph shows the percentage of establishments in the Water supply sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sector according to indicators of use and adoption of the digital economy.

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