Privatization of water-supply services in Saudi Arabia: A unique experience

Water-supply services worldwide experienced a wave of privatization over the last three decades, with majority of documented cases deemed failures. This paper reviews the Saudi water-supply service privatization initiative in the context of international privatization models and industry practices. The study shows that the Saudi model is unique in both structure and performance. It concludes that the model is a successful one to date and could be implemented in countries having a similar socio-economic structure. However, the long-term performance and sustainability of the model are inconclusive and need careful assessment based on financial and technical criteria.