Riyadh City Groundwater Mitigation Program
The issue of rising groundwater levels in Riyadh began to surface several decades ago amid the city’s rapid population growth and urban expansion. This was accompanied by rising water consumption rates, resulting in a significant increase in the quantity of water imported into the city and subsequently discharged into the ground.
As part of its mandate to guide Riyadh’s development and enhance quality of life, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) launched the Riyadh City Groundwater Mitigation Program in 1407 AH (1987) as a comprehensive long-term initiative to address rising groundwater levels across the capital. The program aims to protect affected neighborhoods, improve the urban environment, and safeguard the sustainability and operational efficiency of public utilities and services throughout the city.
Program Objectives
The Riyadh City Groundwater Mitigation Program seeks to achieve a set of strategic goals, primarily:
Groundwater Mitigation
Containing rising groundwater levels in affected neighborhoods.
Infrastructure Protection
Safeguarding public infrastructure and private properties against potential damage.
Health and Safety
Enhancing public health standards and environmental safety across the city.
Project Integration
Strengthening coordination and integration among infrastructure and service projects.
Quality of Life
Supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by improving quality of life across the capital.
Core Pillars
The program is structured around a set of fundamental operational pillars:
Conducting in-depth scientific studies to precisely determine the sources and underlying drivers of rising groundwater levels.
Establishing dedicated groundwater mitigation networks designed and executed in accordance with advanced technical and engineering standards.
Deploying integrated monitoring systems to continuously track groundwater fluctuations and ensure long-term operational sustainability.
Program Impact
The Program has successfully contributed to lowering groundwater levels across several neighborhoods in Riyadh, delivering tangible benefits to the city’s urban and environmental landscape. Key outcomes include:
Environmental Improvement
Reducing groundwater levels and eliminating their adverse impacts in the implemented areas.
Infrastructure Sustainability
Improving infrastructure systems’ quality and durability while enhancing the resilience of public assets and facilities.
Safety Performance
Recording a significant safety achievement exceeding 120,000 incident-free man-hours, with zero lost-time incidents reported.
Groundwater Networks Under Construction Up To 2026
Map illustrating the groundwater mitigation networks under construction in Riyadh
Program Progress
Since late 1409 AH (1988), RCRC has placed strong emphasis on the planning and implementation of groundwater drainage networks across multiple affected zones.
To date, the total length of completed drainage lines has exceeded 231 kilometers, providing coverage for approximately 80% of areas impacted by rising groundwater. In parallel, several additional pipeline projects are progressing through construction, design, and feasibility study phases.
Currently, three major groundwater mitigation projects are underway in the Al-Narjis, Al-Arid, Al-Aziziyah, and Al-Dar Al-Baida neighborhoods. These projects extend over 104 kilometers in total and have achieved more than 90% completion.
Key milestones achieved within these ongoing works include:
+94km
Installation of more than 94 kilometers of pipeline networks.
1,227
Construction of 1,227 manholes supporting inspection, monitoring, and maintenance activities.
188,000m²
Completion of asphalt restoration works covering 188,000 square meters.
686,000m³
Excavation, removal, and environmentally safe disposal of approximately 686,000 cubic meters of material to public landfills.
