Facilitating sector privatization through comprehensive business case portfolio for NWC
Unlocking private sector participation in essential services.
Citizens served by NWC’s network
We partnered with the National Water Company over 3.5 years to develop its portfolio of business cases — facilitating the rapid privatization of the Kingdom’s water and wastewater sector and enabling one of the most significant infrastructure ownership transitions in Saudi history.
Privatizing the Kingdom’s water sector meant unbundling a national utility into investable entities — each requiring a standalone business case that could withstand the scrutiny of international investors and the NWC Board of Directors.
Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company manages the water and wastewater services for over 35 million people. As part of the Kingdom’s privatization program overseen by the National Center for Privatization, NWC was tasked with transitioning from a government-owned utility to a commercially sustainable entity with significant private sector participation.
This was not a single transaction. It required developing a portfolio of business cases covering different segments of the water value chain — distribution, treatment, desalination, and wastewater — each structured to be attractive to private investors while maintaining the service quality and coverage that the public expects from essential infrastructure.
“Water is the most sensitive sector to privatize. Every citizen depends on it, every regulator scrutinizes it, and every investor prices the risk accordingly. The business cases needed to be bulletproof.”
— NWC Board Advisor
The 3.5-year engagement reflected the complexity and political sensitivity of the task — each business case required extensive stakeholder consultation, regulatory alignment, and financial structuring before it could be presented to the Board for approval.
We embedded within NWC’s strategy team over 3.5 years, developing each business case through a rigorous process of analysis, structuring, stakeholder engagement, and board preparation.
Sector Mapping & Segmentation
Mapped the entire water value chain to identify natural breakpoints for private sector participation, analysing asset condition, revenue potential, regulatory risk, and investor appetite for each segment.
Business Case Development
Developed comprehensive business cases for each privatization tranche including financial projections, risk allocation frameworks, contractual structures, and transition management plans.
Regulatory & Stakeholder Alignment
Managed the complex stakeholder landscape including NCP, MEWA, NWC executive leadership, and regional water authorities to build consensus on privatization structures and timelines.
Board Presentation & Approval
Prepared and presented business cases to the NWC Board of Directors, managing the iterative review process and incorporating board feedback into refined proposals.
Every business case developed was presented to and approved by the NWC Board of Directors — unlocking the pathway for private sector participation in the Kingdom’s water sector.
Citizens served by NWC’s network
Embedded advisory engagement
Business cases approved by the Board
“Arpus became an extension of our team. Over three and a half years, they developed the business case portfolio that made privatization possible — with every single case approved at Board level.”
VP of StrategyNational Water Company
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