Article 14 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 14 من نظام المياه · الفصل الخامس: استخدام المياه
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على جميع الجهات العامة والخاصة موافاة الوزارة بأي مؤشر أو تغير ترصده في أي مصدر من مصادر المياه التابعة لها، وعلى الوزارة متابعة ذلك.
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 14 explained in plain English
This article creates a mutual duty in monitoring water sources:
First: the duty of bodies. All public and private bodies must inform the Ministry of any indicator or change they detect in any water source belonging to them.
The limits in the text are:
- The source must belong to the body.
- The body must have detected the indicator or change.
The text is general as to the type of indicator or change; it does not limit it to pollution, a drop in level or anything else. It does not set a time limit for reporting or the method.
Second: the duty of the Ministry. The Ministry must follow it up; reporting is not the end of the matter, as the Ministry is bound to follow up what it has been informed of.
It is preceded by Article 13, which requires government bodies and the private sector to coordinate with the Ministry on water needs when preparing plans. It is followed by Article 15, which makes the allocation of water quantities for development purposes a decision of the Ministerial Committee on the Ministry's proposal.
Practical example
An agricultural company in Al-Jouf noticed that the salinity of the water in one of its wells had risen markedly. It must inform the Ministry of this change, and the Ministry must follow it up.
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 14 of the Saudi Water Law
Must I report a change in a well belonging to me to the Ministry?
Public and private bodies must inform the Ministry of any indicator or change they detect in the water sources belonging to them.
What is the Ministry's role after a report?
The text requires the Ministry to follow up what it is informed of.
Does the article specify the type of change to be reported?
No. The text speaks of any indicator or change without specifying its type.
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 13
The article requires government bodies and the private sector to coordinate with the Ministry on water needs when preparing national and development plans.
تلتزم الجهات الحكومية والقطاع الخاص -عند إعداد الخطط الوطنية والتنموية- بالتنسيق مع الوزارة فيما يتعلق بالاحتياجات المائية اللازمة لتلك الخطط.
- 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.