Article 46 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 46 من نظام المياه · الفصل التاسع: الخزن الاستراتيجي للمياه
The article allows the Ministerial Committee, on the Ministry's proposal, to ban the use of water sources in specified areas to secure reserves and strategic storage, and to lift the ban, with licensees compensated under the Ministry's regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم بقرار من اللجنة الوزارية -بناءً على اقتراح الوزارة- حظر استخدام مصدر أو أكثر من مصادر المياه في مناطق محددة لأغراض ضمان توافر الاحتياطات المائية، والخزن الاستراتيجي، ورفع صفة الحظر عنها، وتعويض أصحاب رخص استخدام هذه المصادر وفق ما تبينه لوائح الوزارة، مع مراعاة حماية حقوق المستثمرين في أي مشاريع. وتقوم الوزارة بالتنسيق مع الهيئة خلال مدة تحددها لوائح الوزارة قبل اتخاذ أي إجراء في هذا الشأن إذا كان مقامًا على المصدر نشاط تقديم الخدمة مرخصًا به من الهيئة.
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 46 explained in plain English
This article deals with a situation that may directly affect holders of water use licenses, namely a ban on the use of one or more water sources in specified areas.
Who decides on the ban? It is issued by a decision of the Ministerial Committee, on the proposal of the Ministry. The Committee also decides on lifting the ban status.
For what purpose? To ensure the availability of water reserves and strategic storage.
What are the rights of those affected?
- Compensation of the holders of licenses to use these sources, as set out in the Ministry's regulations. The article establishes the principle of compensation and leaves its basis, amount and procedures to the regulations.
- Taking into account the protection of investors' rights in any projects.
Coordination with the Authority: if the source has a service provision activity licensed by the Authority, the Ministry must coordinate with the Authority before taking any action on the matter, within a period set by the Ministry's regulations.
The article comes within the strategic storage provisions, after Article 44, which tasks the Ministry with approving strategic storage and strategic reservoirs, and Article 45 on injection.
A person who holds a license on a source covered by a ban and wants to know his right to compensation or to object is well advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in water regulations and administrative cases.
Practical example
Nasser holds a license to use water from a well in an area where the Ministry saw the importance of preserving its water as a reserve. The Ministry proposed banning the use of the source and the Ministerial Committee issued a decision to that effect. Under this article Nasser, as a license holder, is compensated as set out in the Ministry's regulations.
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 46 of the Saudi Water Law
Can the use of a licensed well be banned?
Article 46 allows the Ministerial Committee, on the Ministry's proposal, to ban the use of one or more water sources in specified areas to secure water reserves and strategic storage.
Is the license holder compensated if the source is banned?
Yes. The article provides for compensating the holders of licenses to use these sources, as set out in the Ministry's regulations.
Can the ban on a source be lifted?
Yes. The article provides that lifting the ban status is also by a decision of the Ministerial Committee on the Ministry's proposal.
More articles on Strategic Water Storage
- Article 4
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.
1- تتولى الوزارة القيام بالآتي: أ- إعداد واعتماد الخطط والبرامج التطويرية لمصادر المياه، وإمداداتها، واستخداماتها، ومعالجتها (على المدى القصير والمتوسط والبعيد)
- 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 44
The article tasks the Ministry with approving strategic water storage and strategic reservoirs distributed across all regions of the Kingdom, taking into account consumers' expected needs in emergencies.
تقوم الوزارة باعتماد الخزن الاستراتيجي للمياه، واعتماد خزانات استراتيجية موزعة في جميع مناطق المملكة، على أن تراعي عند إنشائها الاحتياجات المتوقعة للمستهلكين في
- Article 45
The article allows the Ministry, or whoever it licenses, to carry out injection when it is safe from the health, environmental and technical standpoints, as determined by the Ministry's regulations.
يجوز للوزارة أو من ترخص له الحقن كلما كان ذلك آمنًا من الناحية الصحية، والبيئية، والتقنية؛ وفقًا لما تحدده لوائح الوزارة.
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.