Article 39 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 39 من نظام المياه · الفصل الثامن: ترشيد الاستخدام
The article requires government bodies and service provision licensees to adopt the principle of water rationalization as a theme of their awareness, education and marketing programs, as the Ministry's regulations set out.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقوم الجهات الحكومية والمرخص لهم بتقديم الخدمة باعتماد مبدأ "ترشيد استخدام المياه" من ضمن محاور برامجهم التوعوية، والتثقيفية، والتسويقية، وذلك وفق ما تبينه لوائح الوزارة.
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 39 explained in plain English
This article deals with the awareness side of water rationalization policy. It binds two kinds of bodies:
- Government bodies.
- Service provision licensees, who carry on the service provision activities defined in Article 1, such as water desalination, distribution and retail sale, and collecting and treating sewage.
The obligation is for each of them to adopt the principle of "rationalizing water use" as one of the themes of:
- Awareness programs.
- Education programs.
- Marketing programs.
This means that these bodies' messages to the public, including their marketing campaigns, should include encouragement to rationalize. The article does not specify the form, number or detailed content of these programs, but provides that this is done as the Ministry's regulations set out.
The article complements the neighboring provisions: Article 37 makes regulating and managing rationalization a matter for the Ministry or its delegate and binds everyone to it, Article 38 deals with water-saving sanitary ware and gray water, and Article 40 deals with water-saving irrigation systems. The law thus combines a duty to use tools with awareness of behavior.
The article addresses government bodies and service providers, and a service provider with a question about its compliance can consult a lawyer who specializes in water laws and administrative cases.
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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Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
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Frequently asked questions about Article 39 of the Saudi Water Law
Are water companies required to raise awareness about saving water?
Yes. Article 39 requires service provision licensees, along with government bodies, to adopt the principle of water rationalization within their awareness, education and marketing programs.
Who sets the details of the awareness programs?
The article provides that this is done as the Ministry's regulations set out.
More articles on Water Conservation
- Article 10
The article gives the Ministry the right to impose meters on wells in non-renewable aquifers to monitor consumption under the water allowances, and lets the Ministerial Committee consider imposing a fee when the allowance is exceeded.
للوزارة الحق في فرض تركيب عدادات؛ لقياس تدفق المياه من الآبار الواقعة في الطبقات الحاملة للمياه غير المتجددة؛ لمراقبة وتنظيم كمية استهلاك وترشيد استخدامها؛ وفقً
- Article 37
The article assigns the regulation and management of water-use rationing to the Ministry or its delegate, and requires licensees, consumers and beneficiaries to comply with rationing and use its tools and equipment.
تتولى الوزارة أو من تفوضه تنظيم عملية ترشيد استخدام المياه، وإدارتها. وعلى جميع المرخّص لهم والمستهلكين والمستفيدين الالتزام بعمليات الترشيد، واستخدام أدوات ترش
- Article 38
The article requires government and private sectors to use water-saving sanitary ware and plumbing materials that meet the specifications, and to make use of gray water and recycle it under the Ministry's regulations.
يجب على جميع القطاعات الحكومية والخاصة استخدامُ الأدوات الصحية ومواد السباكة المرشِّدة والمطابقة للوائح الفنية والمواصفات القياسية المعتمدة، والاستفادة من الميا
- Article 40
The article requires water-saving irrigation systems when irrigating in urban or agricultural activities, as determined by the Ministry's regulations.
عند استخدام المياه لأغراض الري في الأنشطة الحضرية أو الزراعية، يجب استخدام أنظمة مرشدة لاستهلاك المياه، وفقًا لما تحدده لوائح الوزارة.
- Article 41
The article sets four obligations on water users: rationing and not wasting, keeping to licensed uses and quantities and allowing measurement, preserving sources, and paying what is imposed.
على مستخدمي المياه الالتزام بالآتي: 1- ترشيد استخدام المياه، وعدم هدرها، وعدم الإسراف في استخدامها، واستخدام الأدوات والأجهزة والأنظمة المُرَشِّدة والمطابقة للم
- Article 42
The article requires the Ministry and the Authority, each within its jurisdiction, to subject all water uses to measurement and monitoring and to verify its effectiveness, directly or through licensees.
على الوزارة والهيئة -كلٌ فيما يخصه- إخضاع جميع استخدامات المياه للقياس والمراقبة وفق أحكام النظام، والتأكد من تنفيذ ذلك بفاعلية إما مباشرة، أو عن طريق المرخَّص
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.