Saudi Arabia Commences Initiative To Monitor Ground And Surface Water Quality

The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) held its first practical workshop today, launching the "Monitoring and Surveillance of Groundwater and Surface Water Quality in the Kingdom" project. Specialists from 45 entities across public, private, and non-profit sectors attended, along with international experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

NCEC Chief Executive Engineer Ali Al-Ghamdi explained that this workshop is the initial step of a national initiative started last month. The initiative aims to monitor and assess water quality by collaborating with relevant stakeholders as a joint national team that aligns with national environmental and water strategies.

Eng. Al-Ghamdi stated that the initiative responds to increasing environmental challenges in Saudi Arabia, particularly concerning groundwater and surface water quality. The goal is to establish a baseline for water quality using best international practices and advanced technologies for future monitoring and analysis.

NCEC's executive director of monitoring operations, Nadia Al-Amoudi, highlighted that the initiative seeks to build a comprehensive database. This database will help develop specialized indicators for monitoring groundwater and surface water, aiding decision-makers in safeguarding this crucial environmental component.

She stressed that the initiative focuses on creating a unified reference framework for monitoring aquatic environments across the Kingdom. This involves collaboration with relevant government sectors and leveraging research related to water quality in Saudi Arabia.

International Expertise and Unified Efforts

During the workshop, international UN experts provided an in-depth overview of unified efforts' importance in protecting groundwater and surface-water quality. They discussed how these efforts impact achieving water sustainability and preserving it as a natural resource.

NCEC conducted a scientific study to launch this national initiative, identifying its targets by collecting over 2,000 samples of surface and groundwater from various regions of the Kingdom. The aim is to evaluate current practices, document compliance levels with standards, address gaps, and gather necessary data for this phase.

This initiative will help protect the environment, public health, and ensure clean water sustainability for future generations.

With inputs from SPA