In November 2018, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House), citing MEED, reported that the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) had asked firms to submit new bids for nine desalination projects. The plants had been tendered in January 2018 after a royal decree in which King Salman committed 2 billion riyals (US$530 million). Together they were to supply 240,000 m³/day. The original target of completion within 18 months was likely to slip as the tender process was repeated.
The report showed Saudi Arabia's fast-track programme for nine smaller plants stalling at the procurement stage, putting its tight construction timetable in doubt.