Article 13 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 13 من نظام المياه · الفصل الخامس: استخدام المياه
The article requires government bodies and the private sector to coordinate with the Ministry on water needs when preparing national and development plans.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تلتزم الجهات الحكومية والقطاع الخاص -عند إعداد الخطط الوطنية والتنموية- بالتنسيق مع الوزارة فيما يتعلق بالاحتياجات المائية اللازمة لتلك الخطط.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 13 explained in plain English
This article places an obligation of prior coordination in planning:
- Who is bound: government bodies and the private sector.
- When: when preparing national and development plans.
- What: coordinating with the Ministry (the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture) on the water needs those plans require.
The practical purpose is that plans are built on knowledge of the water available, so that a plan needing water is not adopted without coordination with the body responsible for its sources.
The text ties the obligation to the preparation stage, not to after the plan is approved. It does not specify the coordination procedures or form. It also speaks of "national and development plans" without defining them.
This is consistent with Article 12, which ranks the priorities for water use and makes the ordering of agricultural, urban and industrial demand a decision of the Ministerial Committee on the Ministry's proposal. It is followed by Article 14, which requires public and private bodies to inform the Ministry of any indicator or change they detect in the water sources belonging to them.
Practical example
A government body is preparing a plan to build a new industrial city in one of the regions. When preparing the plan, it must coordinate with the Ministry on the water needs the plan requires.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 13 of the Saudi Water Law
Must I coordinate with the water ministry when preparing development plans?
Yes. Government bodies and the private sector must coordinate with the Ministry on water needs when preparing national and development plans.
Does the obligation cover the private sector?
Yes. The text mentions the private sector alongside government bodies.
When does the coordination take place?
When preparing national and development plans.
More articles on Water Use Priorities and Allocation
- Article 12
The article ranks the priorities for water use and allocation: basic human needs, then watering animals, then agricultural, urban and industrial demand and the environmental minimum, as decided by the Ministerial Committee.
يكون استخدام المياه وتخصيصها وفقًا للأولويات الآتية على الترتيب: 1- الاحتياجات البشرية الأساسية. 2- سقيا الحيوانات. 3- الطلب الزراعي والعمراني والصناعي، والحد ا
- Article 14
The article requires public and private bodies to inform the Ministry of any indicator or change they detect in the water sources belonging to them, and requires the Ministry to follow it up.
على جميع الجهات العامة والخاصة موافاة الوزارة بأي مؤشر أو تغير ترصده في أي مصدر من مصادر المياه التابعة لها، وعلى الوزارة متابعة ذلك.
- Article 15
The article makes the allocation of water quantities for development purposes a decision of the Ministerial Committee on the Ministry's proposal, based on aquifer characteristics and the annual flow of valleys.
تُخصص كميات الاستخدام من المياه للأغراض التنموية بقرار من اللجنة الوزارية -بناءً على اقتراح الوزارة- اعتمادًا على خصائص الطبقات الحاملة للمياه، ومعدل الجريان ال
- Article 16
The article requires water allocated for agriculture to be used under the national strategies set by the Minister, and requires a license for agricultural water supply activities and the Ministry's principal buyer activities.
1- تستخدم المياه المخصصة للأغراض الزراعية، وفقًا للاستراتيجيات الوطنية المعتمدة للوزارة التي تُحدد بقرار من الوزير. 2- لا يجوز القيام بأي من الأعمال أو الأنشطة
- Article 17
The article bars the relevant bodies from issuing licenses or approvals for any facility that may obstruct the use of surface water except with the Ministry's prior approval.
على الجهات المعنية عدم إصدار رخص أو موافقات على إقامة أيّ منشأة قد تعوق استخدام المياه السطحية إلا بموافقة مسبقة من الوزارة.
- Article 18
The article gives the Minister the right to suspend any source use license or reduce its quantities because of water scarcity or shortage, or water, environmental or public health security, except what the Ministerial Committee excludes.
للوزير -فيما عدا ما تستثنيه اللجنة الوزارية- الحق في إيقاف أي رخصة استخدام مصدر، أو تخفيض الكميات المحددة فيها لأسباب شح المياه، أو نقصها، أو لأي سبب متعلق بالأ
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.