A new video has been released to illustrate the progress in construction and the significance of the award-winning US$ 600 million Shuqaiq 3 Independent Water Project (IWP), located on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.

With construction well underway, the latest video offers an exclusive insight into how one of the largest desalination plants in the world is being realized, and the sheer scale of operations across the 111,000 square meter site – the equivalent of more than 15 soccer fields – which is currently employing more than 2,200 workers.

The plant contains 70,000 cubic meters of concrete, 503 kilometers of wiring and has used 4,481 tons of steel – more than half the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

Construction began in 2019 and despite global economic disruption, continues on schedule; once complete more than 9 million safe working hours will have been achieved.

When operational, Shuqaiq 3 will use more than 7,000 reverse osmosis pressure vessels, equivalent to 54 kilometers, with more than 45,000 membranes working simultaneously to produce more than 18 million liters of pure water per hour.

That’s 450,000 cubic meters per day, or around 180 Olympic size swimming pools.

The result will be the production of clean drinking water to over 1.8 million people over 25 years, as well as providing water for agriculture and industry, bringing us one step closer to providing clean safe drinking water to those facing water scarcity.

Shuqaiq 3 is being developed by a consortium including Abdul Latif Jameel Energy’s water solutions company, Almar Water Solutions, and Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises; the project has already won awards as recognition of the importance of the project in the area.