Article 51 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 51 من نظام المياه · الفصل العاشر: خدمات المياه
Article 51 gives the Authority's inspectors the right to enter sites and facilities licensed by the Authority to check compliance with the Law, and allows the Authority to coordinate with the competent bodies if they are prevented or obstructed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لمفتشي الهيئة الحق في دخول المواقع والمنشآت المرخَّص لها من قبل الهيئة؛ للتأكد من مدى الالتزام بتطبيق أحكام النظام.
2- في حال منع أو إعاقة مفتشي الهيئة عن تأدية أعمالهم، فللهيئة التنسيق مع الجهات المختصة؛ لاتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة؛ لإتمام عملية الدخول، والتأكد من الالتزام بتطبيق أحكام النظام.
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 51 explained in plain English
This article establishes the Authority's power of field oversight over those it licenses.
Paragraph (1): the right of entry. The Authority's inspectors have the right to enter the sites and facilities licensed by the Authority. The purpose of entry is stated in the text: to verify the extent of compliance with the provisions of the Law. The right is tied to sites and facilities licensed by the Authority and to the purpose of verifying compliance.
Paragraph (2): prevention or obstruction. If the Authority's inspectors are prevented from performing their work or obstructed in it, the Authority may coordinate with the competent bodies to take the necessary measures to complete the entry and verify compliance. The article does not name these bodies or specify the measures.
In practical terms, preventing an inspector does not stop the inspection; it opens the way for the Authority to call on the competent bodies to complete it. This article does not itself state a penalty for preventing or obstructing inspectors.
The article comes within the provisions on water services, after the articles that regulate licensing (Article 47), disposal of the license and assets (Article 48), mergers (Article 49) and continuity of service (Article 50). Inspection is the Authority's means of verifying that these provisions are respected.
A licensed facility should deal with inspectors' visits cooperatively. If it has reservations about a particular measure, it may consult a lawyer specializing in water law and administrative matters.
Practical example
The Authority's inspectors arrive at a licensed treatment plant in Medina to verify its compliance with the Law, and the person in charge of the site refuses to let them in. Under this article, the Authority may coordinate with the competent bodies to take the necessary measures to complete the entry and verify compliance.
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 51 of the Saudi Water Law
Do the Authority's inspectors have the right to enter a licensed water facility?
Yes. Article 51 gives the Authority's inspectors the right to enter sites and facilities licensed by the Authority to verify compliance with the provisions of the Law.
What happens if an inspector is refused entry?
The Authority may coordinate with the competent bodies to take the necessary measures to complete the entry and verify compliance.
More articles on Water Service Licenses and Infrastructure
- 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 47
The article makes issuing, renewing and amending licenses, exemptions and permits for service provision activities the Authority's responsibility, and bans carrying out any of these activities without a license except those exempted by the Authority's regulations.
1- تتولى الهيئة إصدار الرخص، والإعفاءات، والتصاريح اللازمة لمزاولة أي نشاط من أنشطة تقديم الخدمة، أو الإعداد لمزاولته، وتجديدها، وتعديلها. 2- فيما عدا الأنشطة ا
- Article 48
The article prohibits a licensee for a service provision activity from assigning its license or disposing of the licensed assets in any way before obtaining the Authority's written permission, without affecting the performance of the activity.
لا يجوز للمرخَّص له بنشاط تقديم الخدمة -قبل الحصول على إذن مكتوب من الهيئة- التنازل عن رخصته، أو التصرف في الأصول المرخَّص لها، سواءً بالنقل، أو البيع، أو الرهن
- Article 49
Article 49 requires a service-activity licensee to get the Authority's approval before merging with others or acquiring most of their shares or assets, and to notify the Authority of any preliminary agreement.
يجب على المرخَّص له بنشاط تقديم الخدمة الحصول على موافقة الهيئة قبل الاندماج مع أشخاص آخرين، أو امتلاك معظم حصصهم، أو موجوداتهم، ويجب عليه إشعار الهيئة بأي اتفا
- Article 50
Article 50 requires the Authority, in coordination with the Ministry, to make the necessary arrangements to ensure service continues if a service-activity licensee is unable to carry out its activity for any reason.
إذا تعذر على المرخَّص له بنشاط تقديم الخدمة القيام بنشاطه المرخَّص له به لأي سبب، فعلى الهيئة -وبالتنسيق مع الوزارة- اتخاذ الترتيبات اللازمة؛ لضمان استمرار تقدي
- 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
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.