Jeddah Airport 2 ISTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment for 2.5 Million People in Jeddah

Jeddah Airport 2 ISTP is a large-scale advanced wastewater treatment facility located adjacent to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia. The plant serves a population of 2.5 million and has a designed capacity of 500,000 m³/day, currently operating at 60% utilization. It is owned by the Saudi Water Partnership Company under a 25-year BOOT arrangement and operated by a consortium including Marafiq, Aljomaih, and Veolia Middle East. The plant employs Nereda aerobic granular sludge technology, an advanced biological treatment process that produces high-quality effluent suitable for reuse. As an advanced treatment facility, it meets stringent standards for water recycling, aligning with Saudi Arabia's national water conservation goals. The plant operates under the regulatory oversight of the National Water Company (NWC), which issues permits for wastewater discharge and reuse. All treated wastewater from Jeddah Airport 2 ISTP is reused for landscape irrigation within the Jeddah area, contributing to the region's water sustainability. This reuse reduces demand on freshwater resources and supports green spaces in an arid environment. The plant's location near the Red Sea coast, within 10 km, underscores the importance of preventing untreated discharge into marine ecosystems, though its full reuse strategy eliminates direct marine impact.

Jeddah is located on the Red Sea coast, a marine environment of high ecological significance supporting coral reefs, mangroves, and diverse marine life. The plant's treated effluent is entirely reused for landscape irrigation, preventing any discharge into the Red Sea. This practice conserves freshwater resources and protects the coastal ecosystem from nutrient pollution and other contaminants. The region's arid climate makes water reuse critical for sustaining urban greenery and reducing pressure on desalination plants.