Article 4 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 4 من نظام المياه · الفصل الثالث: المهمات والمسؤوليات
The article sets out the tasks of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in water plans, strategic storage, emergencies and monitoring sources, and gives the Minister the power to declare a water emergency.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تتولى الوزارة القيام بالآتي:
أ- إعداد واعتماد الخطط والبرامج التطويرية لمصادر المياه، وإمداداتها، واستخداماتها، ومعالجتها (على المدى القصير والمتوسط والبعيد).
ب- إعداد الخطط طويلة المدى للمياه بالتنسيق مع الهيئة والجهات المعنية، واعتمادها.
ج- إعداد خطط ومعايير الخزن الاستراتيجي للمياه، وأوجه استخداماتها، واعتمادها.
د- إعداد خطط لتشجيع القطاع الخاص وجذبه للمشاركة في أنشطة ومشاريع مصادر المياه، وفق السياسات والاستراتيجيات الوطنية المعتمدة، وذلك بالتنسيق مع الجهات المعنية.
هـ- إعداد واعتماد خطط إدارة الطوارئ والكوارث التي تؤثر على مصادر المياه، أو إمداداتها، أو استخدامها، أو معالجتها؛ وذلك للتحكم في مخزون المياه، ومصادرها، وتوزيعها، بالتنسيق مع الهيئة والجهات المعنية.
و- إيصال المياه للتجمعات السكانية المعتمدة في حال عدم وجود مرخَّص لهم بنشاط تقديم الخدمة في تلك التجمعات.
ز- مراقبة مصادر المياه.
2- يتولى الوزير إعلان حالة الطوارئ الخاصة بالمياه، واتخاذ إجراءات استثنائية بالتنسيق مع وحدة المخاطر الوطنية، وذلك عند حدوث حالة طارئة، أو كارثة طبيعية أو غير طبيعية تؤدي إلى شح المياه أو تلوثها.
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 4 explained in plain English
This article deals with the tasks of the Ministry and the Minister's power in emergencies.
First: the tasks of the Ministry (the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture):
- Preparing and approving development plans and programs for water sources, supplies, uses and treatment in the short, medium and long term.
- Preparing and approving long-term water plans, in coordination with the Authority and the bodies concerned.
- Preparing and approving plans and standards for strategic storage and its uses.
- Preparing plans to encourage the private sector to participate, in line with national policies and strategies and in coordination with the bodies concerned.
- Preparing and approving plans for emergency and disaster management affecting water, in coordination with the Authority and the bodies concerned.
- Delivering water to approved population centers where there are no licensees for the service provision activity.
- Monitoring water sources.
Second: the Minister's power: he declares a water emergency and takes exceptional measures in coordination with the National Risk Unit, when an emergency or a natural or man-made disaster occurs that leads to water scarcity or pollution. The text does not specify these measures.
It is followed by Article 5, which sets the tasks of the Authority in relation to service provision activities, including approving the executive plans of licensees under the long-term plan approved by the Ministry.
Practical example
An approved village in a remote area has no licensee for the water service provision activity. In this case the Ministry takes charge of delivering water to its residents, under paragraph (1/f) of the article.
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 4 of the Saudi Water Law
Who declares a water emergency in Saudi Arabia?
The Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, in coordination with the National Risk Unit, when an emergency or disaster occurs that leads to water scarcity or pollution.
Who delivers water to villages that have no service provider?
The Ministry takes charge of delivering water to approved population centers where there are no licensees for the service provision activity.
Who prepares the strategic water storage plans?
The Ministry prepares and approves the plans and standards for strategic storage and its uses.
More articles on Roles of the Ministry and the Water Regulatory Authority
- Article 5
The article sets out the Authority's tasks in service provision activities, including approving executive plans, regulating treated water contracts and deciding on complaints, and allows its board to amend the scope of activities and licenses.
1- تتولى الهيئة فيما يتعلق بأنشطة تقديم الخدمة -بالإضافة إلى المهمات المنصوص عليها في تنظيمها- الآتي: أ- اعتماد الخطط التنفيذية التي يعدها المرخَّص لهم بتقديم ا
- Article 6
The article requires the Ministry and the Authority to give the private sector the information it needs for water investment, and requires bodies and licensees to give them information, samples and documents.
1- على الوزارة والهيئة -كلٌّ فيما يخصه- تزويد مؤسسات القطاع الخاص بالمعلومات التي تمكنهم من اتخاذ قراراتهم، وإعداد دراسات الجدوى الخاصة بالاستثمار في أنشطة استخ
- 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
- Article 43
The article tasks the Ministry with periodically estimating available water quantities and measuring withdrawals, storage and its quality, depletion rates and treatment, and requires the relevant bodies to enable and cooperate with it.
تتولى الوزارة -بشكل دوري- تقدير كميات المياه المتوافرة في مصادر المياه، وقياس حجم السحب منها، والمياه المخزنة، وجودتها، ومعدلات استنزافها، ومعالجتها، وعلى الجها
- Article 52
Article 52 tasks the Ministry or its delegate with building water harvesting infrastructure and networks outside the jurisdiction of the secretariats, municipalities and special zones when there is no licensee, and treats public water infrastructure as state property.
1- تقوم الوزارة أو من تفوضه في حال عدم وجود مرخَّص له في المناطق الواقعة خارج نطاق اختصاص الأمانات والبلديات والمناطق الخاصة؛ بإنشاء بنى أساسية، وشبكات، وأنظمة
- Article 61
The article tasks the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture with issuing, and updating, the measures, standards and requirements for protecting water sources and the environment from pollution.
تقوم الوزارة بإصدار مقاييس حماية مصادر المياه والبيئة من التلوث ومعاييرها ومتطلباتها، وتحديثها.
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.