Article 76 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 76 من نظام المياه · الفصل السابع عشر: أحكام انتقالية وختامية
Article 76 specifies who issues the Implementing Regulations of the Water Law within 90 days of its publication, and lists the regulations the Authority issues for its regulatory tasks.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يصدر الوزير اللائحة التنفيذية للنظام فيما يقع ضمن مهمات الوزارة خلال (تسعين) يومًا من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها من تاريخ نفاذه.
2- يصدر مجلس الإدارة اللائحة التنفيذية للنظام فيما يتعلق بمهمات الهيئة خلال (تسعين) يومًا من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها من تاريخ نفاذه.
3- تصدر الهيئة اللوائح اللازمة للقيام بمهماتها التنظيمية بموجب النظام وتشمل الآتي:
أ- القواعد: الفنية، والبيئية، والتشغيلية، والإجرائية، والكودات.
ب- معايير الأداء التي يجب على المرخَّص له بنشاط تقديم الخدمة تحقيقها.
ج- القواعد التي تحدد العلاقة بين المرخَّص لهم بنشاط تقديم الخدمة، وبين المستهلكين.
د- تحديد أنشطة تقديم الخدمة، واستخداماتها، وتصنيفها، وتحديثها.
هـ- القواعد اللازمة للرخص، والإعفاءات، والتصاريح شاملة أسس حساب المقابل المالي لها.
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 76 explained in plain English
This article regulates the regulations that detail the provisions of the Water Law, and divides them between two bodies:
1- The Ministry's regulation: The Minister issues the Implementing Regulations of the Law for matters within the Ministry's tasks within 90 days of the date the Law is published in the Official Gazette, and they take effect from the date the Law comes into force.
2- The Authority's regulation: The Board of Directors issues the Implementing Regulations of the Law for the Authority's tasks within 90 days of the date of publication, and they likewise take effect from the date the Law comes into force.
3- The Authority's regulatory regulations: The Authority issues the regulations needed for its regulatory tasks, including:
- Technical, environmental, operational and procedural rules and codes.
- Performance standards that the service-provision licensee must achieve.
- Rules that govern the relationship between service-provision licensees and consumers.
- Defining service-provision activities, their uses, their classification and their updating.
- The rules needed for licenses, exemptions and permits, including the bases for calculating their financial fee.
The significance of the third paragraph for the consumer is that the relationship between the consumer and the licensed water service provider is governed by rules the Authority issues; the article does not state the content of these rules.
This article comes after Article 75, which repeals the earlier laws and their regulations, and before Article 77, which provides that the Law takes effect 90 days after its publication in the Official Gazette; so the Implementing Regulations are issued in the same period and begin to apply along with the Law. To know how a particular regulation applies to your activity, you can consult a lawyer specializing in water, environmental and administrative law.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 76 of the Saudi Water Law
Who issues the Implementing Regulations of the Water Law?
The Minister issues them for matters within the Ministry's tasks, and the Authority's Board of Directors for the Authority's tasks.
When are the Implementing Regulations of the Water Law issued?
Within 90 days of the date the Law is published in the Official Gazette, and they take effect from the date it comes into force.
Who sets the rules for the relationship between a water company and the consumer?
The Authority. Among the regulations it issues are the rules that govern the relationship between service-provision licensees and consumers.
More articles on Roles of the Ministry and the Water Regulatory Authority
- 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 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
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.

