The location of the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian peninsula has meant that the provision of adequate supplies of water has always been a priority. The area was rich in natural water supplies in earlier times but, with the dramatic expansion of Riyadh city, it was inevitable that water supplies would become depleted. The drilling of deep artesian wells was explored as one solution. An artesian well with a depth of 4,600 feet (1,400 meters) was drilled, with success, in 1956 but it was quickly realized that such methods, which ran the danger of contaminating the water table with sea water from the eastern region, could not provide a long-term solution.
The Government has therefore implemented a number of measures to relieve the situation;
- Bowaib Water Project
- Dams
- Jubail Desalination Pipeline Project
- Salboukh Water Project
- Wasei' Water Project
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