Article 71 of the Saudi Water Law

This article deals with urgent and necessary cases that cannot wait. It gives the Ministry and the Authority, each within its remit, immediate powers against anyone who violates the provisions of the Law, the Ministry's regulations, the Authority's regulations, or the conditions of a license or exemption, or attempts to.

The permitted measures (one or more):

1. Requiring the violator to stop the violation.
2. Requiring them to remove the violation, put the situation right and take corrective measures to deal with its consequences; if they are late, the Ministry or the Authority may do so at their expense.
3. Suspending their activity in part or in whole for no more than 6 months.
4. Taking what is needed to manage the water source or the service provision activity for a set period not exceeding 6 months, renewable once, so as to ensure the continuity of the source or activity, in accordance with rules and procedures set by the Ministry or the Authority.

The role of the committee and objection (paragraph 2): The committee must issue a decision on this matter within a period not exceeding 20 working days from the date the violation is referred to it. If the committee does not decide within this period, or the person concerned does not accept what it decides, they may object before the Administrative Court in accordance with the established legal procedures.

These measures differ from the penalties imposed by the committees provided for in Article 70 after examining the violation; the Ministry or the Authority takes them in urgent and necessary cases. They are followed by Article 72, which makes the violator liable for all damage to the licensee's facility or to third parties. Anyone against whom an urgent measure has been taken would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in water and environmental regulation and administrative cases without delay.