In June 2016, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that Saudi Arabia aimed under its National Transformation Plan (NTP) to raise the private operator share of desalinated water from 16% to 52% by 2020. For treated wastewater the private share was to rise from zero to 20%, and water and sewage services to cover 70% of cities, up from 42%. Approval on 6 June cleared privatisation of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation, first floated in January 2015. Strategic storage was to cover 3 days instead of 0.4.
The report showed Saudi Arabia treating desalination in 2016 as part of a wider economic reform away from oil, with privatisation and local manufacturing as key levers.