Article 28 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 28 من نظام المياه · الفصل الخامس: استخدام المياه
The article makes licensing any facility, granting final approvals, or supplying a facility with water conditional on a suitable sewage disposal system, or a licensed private treatment plant where there is no network.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يُشترط لإصدار أي رخصة لإقامة أي منشأة، أو إعطاء الموافقات والفسوحات النهائية، أو إمداد أي منشأة بالمياه؛ الآتي:
أ- توافر نظام مناسب للتخلص من مياه الصرف قابل للربط بأنظمة التجميع والمعالجة في المخططات الأولية، وفي التنفيذ الفعلي.
ب- توافر محطة خاصة لمعالجة مياه الصرف (الحضري أو الصناعي)، مرخصة من الهيئة، ومطابقة للمعايير والاشتراطات الفنية التي تحددها، وذلك في حال عدم توافر شبكة صرف.
2- تحدد لوائح الهيئة المنشآت (الحكومية أو الخاصة) الملزَمة بتطبيق الفقرتين (أ) و(ب) من الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
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 28 explained in plain English
This article sets a precondition on sewage for three things:
- Issuing any license to establish any facility.
- Granting final approvals and clearances.
- Supplying any facility with water.
The conditions (paragraph 1):
- A suitable system for disposing of sewage that is capable of being connected to the collection and treatment systems, both in the preliminary plans and in actual implementation.
- A private sewage treatment plant (urban or industrial), licensed by the Authority and complying with the technical standards and requirements it sets, where there is no sewage network.
Scope of the obligation (paragraph 2): the Authority's regulations determine the government or private facilities that are bound to apply these two conditions. So not every facility is necessarily bound, only those the regulations specify.
The phrase "in the preliminary plans and in actual implementation" means the suitable system must appear in the plans and be actually carried out.
It is preceded by Article 27, on the controls for using sludge. It is followed by Article 29, which requires the owner, where sewage networks are available, to connect to them or build a private treatment plant.
To assess the effect of this rule on a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in water and environmental laws.
Practical example
An investor applies for a license to build a factory in an area with no sewage network. If the factory is among the facilities the Authority's regulations specify, then licensing it and supplying it with water requires a private industrial sewage treatment plant licensed by the Authority and compliant with its standards.
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 28 of the Saudi Water Law
Is a sewage system required to get a building license?
For the facilities the Authority's regulations specify, issuing the license requires a suitable sewage disposal system that can be connected to the collection and treatment systems.
What if there is no sewage network in the area?
A private sewage treatment plant, licensed by the Authority and compliant with its standards, is required.
Does the rule cover all facilities?
The Authority's regulations determine the government or private facilities that are bound to apply these conditions.
More articles on Wastewater and Treated Water
- Article 21
The article prohibits using wastewater outright, restricts the use and discharge of treated wastewater to the approved standards, and requires a service provision license to transport, collect and dispose of wastewater.
1- يُحظر استخدام مياه الصرف في جميع الأحوال والأغراض. 2- يُحظر استخدام مياه الصرف المعالجة لأي غرض، أو نشاط، أو تصريفها؛ إلا وفقًا للمعايير المعتمدة، وأولويات ا
- Article 22
The article gives the Ministry's inspector the right to enter farms that use treated water to monitor and take samples, to verify that the water, products and crops are free of pollutants, and addresses the case where he is prevented or obstructed.
1- لمفتش الوزارة حق دخول المزارع التي تستخدم المياه المعالجة؛ لغرض المراقبة والتفتيش، والتحقق من التقيد بشروط الرخصة، وذلك بالتنسيق مع الجهات الحكومية المعنية،
- Article 23
The article permits using tertiary-treated water after confirming it is safe and free of pollutants, except for drinking, household uses and food industries, under the Ministry's regulations.
ما عدا الشرب والاستخدامات المنزلية والصناعات الغذائية، يُسمح باستخدام المياه المعالجة ثلاثيًا بعد التأكد من سلامتها، وخلوها من الملوثات، ومواءمتها، وفق الضوابط
- Article 24
The article requires an agricultural irrigation system to include an integrated drainage system that collects excess irrigation water and disposes of it safely, to protect water sources from pollution.
يجب أن تشتمل منظومة الري الزراعي على نظام صرف متكامل لتجميع مياه الري الزائدة، والتخلص منها بطريقة آمنة؛ للمحافظة على مصادر المياه من التلوث، وفقًا لما تحدده لو
- Article 25
The article permits using secondary-treated water in restricted agricultural irrigation, industry, mining, construction work and the like, after confirming it is safe and under the Ministry's regulations.
يسمح باستخدام المياه المعالجة ثنائيًا في الري الزراعي المقيد، والصناعة، والتعدين، والأعمال الإنشائية، ونحوها من الأنشطة والأعمال؛ بعد التأكد من سلامتها، وخلوِّه
- Article 26
The article requires all government and private bodies to coordinate with the service provision licensee before connecting sewage to the networks or collecting it by tanker and discharging it at the treatment plant.
على جميع الجهات الحكومية والخاصة التنسيق مع المرخّص له بنشاط تقديم الخدمة قبل ربط مياه الصرف الصحي بشبكات الصرف، أو تجميع مياه الصرف الصحي بوساطة الصهاريج، وتفر
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.