Article 77 of the Saudi Water Law
المادة 77 من نظام المياه · الفصل السابع عشر: أحكام انتقالية وختامية
The article provides that the Water Law comes into force 90 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يُعمل بالنظام بعد (تسعين) يومًا من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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 77 explained in plain English
This article is the commencement article, and it determines when the Water Law begins to apply.
The provision: The Law is in force 90 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The Law is therefore not applied from the day it is issued or published directly, but only after this period has passed.
The article does not state the date of publication or the date from which the Law actually took effect, so one refers to what was published in the Official Gazette for that.
Its relationship to Article 76: Article 76 provides that the Minister and the Board of Directors, each within their remit, issue the Implementing Regulations within 90 days of the date the Law is published in the Official Gazette, and that they are in force from the date it takes effect. The two periods thus match: the regulations are issued within the same period that precedes the Law's taking effect, and come into force with it.
Anyone with an event close to the date of commencement who wants to know which law governs it would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in water and environmental regulation and administrative cases.
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 77 of the Saudi Water Law
When does the Water Law come into force?
90 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Does the Water Law apply from the day it is published?
No. Article 77 provides that it comes into force after 90 days have passed from the date of publication.
When do the Implementing Regulations of the Water Law come into force?
According to Article 76, they are in force from the date the Law takes effect, and are issued within 90 days of its publication.
More articles on Committees for Water Violations
- Article 70
Article 70 creates two committees to hear violations of the Water Law, one for the Ministry and one for the Authority, sets their composition and approval of their decisions, and allows objection before the Administrative Court within 60 days.
1- يتولى النظر والفصل في مخالفات أحكام النظام المتعلقة باختصاص الوزارة ولوائحها، وإيقاع العقوبات المنصوص عليها في النظام، وتقدير التعويضات، لجنة -أو أكثر- تكون
- Article 71
The article allows the Ministry and the Authority, in urgent cases, to order a violator to stop and remove the violation, suspend their activity or manage the source for up to six months, and requires the committee to decide within 20 working days.
1- كل من يخالف أي حكم من أحكام النظام، أو لوائح الوزارة، أو لوائح الهيئة، أو شروط الرخصة، أو الإعفاء، أو شرع في ذلك، فإنه يحق للوزارة أو للهيئة -كل فيما يخصه- ف
- Article 72
The article makes whoever commits a violation of the Water Law liable for all damage to the licensee's facility or to third parties, including repair costs and compensation for the benefit lost.
1- يكون مرتكب المخالفة مسؤولاً عن جميع الأضرار التي لحقت بمرفق المرخَّص له، أو الغير، بما في ذلك تكاليف إصلاح التلف الذي تسبب في حدوثه، والتعويض عن المنفعة التي
- Article 75
The article repeals three earlier laws and their regulations: the Law of Water and Sewerage Authorities, the Law on Conservation of Water Resources, and the Law on Treated Sewage Water and Its Reuse.
يُلغي النظام الآتي: 1- نظام مصالح المياه والصرف الصحي، الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي ذي الرقم (م / 22) والتاريخ 23 / 6 / 1391هـ، ولوائحه. 2- نظام المحافظة على مصادر ال
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.