• Acwa swept the 2026 Global Water Awards, taking both ‘Desalination Company of the Year’ and ‘Desalination Plant of the Year’ – cementing its standing as the world’s largest private water desalination company with 9.7 million m³/day under management.

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2026: Acwa, the world’s largest private water desalination company, a leader in the energy transition, and a first mover into green hydrogen at scale, has been named Desalination Company of the Year and Desalination Plant of the Year at the 2026 Global Water Awards ceremony in Madrid, marking further international recognition of Acwa’s global water leadership and operational excellence delivering reliable, sustainable, and affordable water solutions at scale.

Organized by Global Water Intelligence (GWI), the Global Water Awards have, since 2006, served as the benchmark for excellence across the international water sector. Across 15 categories, they recognize the projects, companies and individuals reshaping how the world manages water – from desalination and wastewater treatment to digital innovation and sustainable financing. 

Dr. Tariq Nada, Head of Technical Services, Global Water, Acwa, said: “Winning these awards for a second time is a testament to the engineers, operators and partners across our entire ecosystem — from offtakers to technology and equipment providers — who have helped build one of the world’s leading desalination platforms. We are proud to provide a significant share of Saudi Arabia’s desalinated water capacity, and proud that the industry has recognized the role desalination plays in strengthening water security, enabling economic growth and supporting the communities that depend on every cubic meter we deliver across the markets we serve.”

Yasir Mahmoud, EVP Global Water, Acwa, said: “Being named Desalination Company of the Year, alongside Desalination Plant of the Year, is the clearest signal yet that our model works — lower energy intensity, higher availability and smarter financing. We’ve spent years pushing reverse osmosis to a place where it’s not only affordable, but also cleaner, more reliable, and ready to scale into new markets.”

The recognition comes at a moment of accelerated growth for Acwa’s water portfolio. The company’s flagship Rabigh 3 Independent Water Project — a 600,000 m³/day seawater reverse osmosis plant serving the Makkah region — has consistently delivered availability levels above 99%, and recently completed a landmark refinancing aligned with IFC Blue Finance Guidelines, the company’s first such alignment. 

Across its wider portfolio of 109 assets in operation, advanced development, or under construction, Acwa continues to integrate next-generation desalination technologies that reduce both emissions and costs, in support of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the water security ambitions of partner countries across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Today, Acwa develops, owns, or operates desalination assets in Saudi Arabia and six additional countries, with a growing pipeline of projects across multiple markets. As demand for reliable and sustainable water infrastructure continues to rise, the company remains committed to providing affordable and reliable drinking water supply, expanding its global desalination footprint and bringing its proven expertise to new regions around the world.