Article 57 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 57 من نظام المياه · الفصل الحادي عشر: البنى الأساسية للمياه وكشف التسربات
Article 57 prohibits water from flowing outside the boundaries of public and private buildings, or leaking from tanks, internal networks or water tankers, as the Authority's regulations specify.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يُمنع تدفق المياه خارج حدود المباني العامة والخاصة، أو تسربها من الخزانات أو الشبكات الداخلية أو الصهاريج، وفقًا لما تحدده لوائح 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 57 explained in plain English
This article deals with a common form of water waste: water escaping from buildings or leaking. It prohibits two things:
- Water flowing outside the boundaries of buildings, whether public or private. This includes, for example, homes, shops and government buildings.
- Water leaking from:
- Tanks.
- Internal networks.
- Water tankers.
The article is broad in scope: it does not limit the prohibition to a particular type of building or user, and it also covers the tankers that transport water.
However, the article states that this is as the Authority's regulations specify; details such as the cases covered, methods of detection and the procedures followed appear in those regulations, not in the text of the article. This article also does not state any particular penalty.
The article comes within the provisions on water infrastructure and leak detection, and is consistent with Article 41, which requires water users to ration their use, not waste water and preserve its sources.
In practice, the owner or user of a building should repair any leak in tanks or internal piping and avoid anything that causes water to run out into the street. Someone who has received a measure or a claim over this and needs a legal opinion may consult a lawyer specializing in water law and administrative matters.
Practical example
Saleh notices water running out of his house's courtyard in Taif into the street because of a leak in the roof tank. Under this article, water flowing outside the building's boundaries and leaking from the tank are prohibited, so he needs to repair the leak, subject to what the Authority's regulations specify.
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 57 of the Saudi Water Law
Is it a violation for water to run from a house into the street?
Article 57 prohibits water from flowing outside the boundaries of public and private buildings, as the Authority's regulations specify.
Does the prohibition cover a leaking water tank?
Yes. The article prohibits water from leaking from tanks, internal networks or water tankers.
Does the article set a penalty for leaks?
No. The article states the prohibition and refers the details to the Authority's regulations without mentioning a penalty.
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 51
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.
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 تأ
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.