GIS to be established for water planning aiming to create a smart water digital platform

By entering into an agreement to create a geographical information system (GIS) for water planning, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has declared a major advancement in water management and planning. The objective of this effort is to establish a digital platform for smart water that is in line with global best practices for the water industry in the Kingdom.

The project's objective, according to Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, Undersecretary of the Ministry, is to create intelligent digital systems for risk management and water information, which would improve decision-making and enable the completion of crucial water assessments. This massive project will be completed by 2026 and is scheduled to take place in seven parts.

The first stage is about assessing the condition of digital systems and water data as of right now. A phase devoted to finding and implementing global best practices will come after it. A gap analysis and inventory of the data and digital system needs and requirements for the water industry will be carried out in the third stage. The fourth step then seeks to create a detailed strategy for creating the required databases and enhancing digital systems.

Numerous cutting-edge capabilities are promised by the digital platform, such as geographic data processing engines, mobile apps, and data processing from satellites and remote sensing. It will provide a sophisticated dashboard with clever visuals and the ability to do geospatial analysis for a range of uses. The platform will also include data processing, task management, process scheduling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning models, making it a comprehensive tool that can intelligently and sustainably meet the varied demands of users.