Executive Regulations for the water system related to the tasks of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

This Regulation clarifies the functions of the Ministry outlined in Article 2 of the Water Law. These functions include (i) ensuring the human right to safe and clean water for drinking, nutrition, hygiene, and purity; (ii) protecting and sustaining water sources while managing supply and demand to meet various needs and promote fair distribution; (iii) treating water as a vital element of life and an economic resource, regulating its use for rational human and economic purposes; (iv) improving the efficiency of water resource management through integrated approaches, coordination, and stakeholder involvement; (v) providing water for agriculture, managing agricultural drainage water, and involving the private sector in these services; (vi) being prepared for and effectively responding to water emergencies while protecting stakeholders; (vii) promoting transparency, facilitating the exchange of water source information, and keeping it up-to-date with developments. This regulation applies to all matters related to water sources, their development, protection, sustainability, management, regulation, associated rights, and uses, including the use of treated wastewater, supplying water for agricultural purposes, collecting, transporting, and treating agricultural drainage water. However, it excludes Zamzam water and anything specifically entrusted to the ministerial committee and the authority by a special provision in the Law.
Among the functions of the Ministry, dealt with in Chapter III, there are (i) periodic development of plans and programs for water sources, their supplies, use, and treatment, emphasizing the importance of holistic water resource management, protecting critical groundwater reserves, optimizing water source utilization, considering health and environmental factors, promoting water efficiency, and addressing the impact of climate change on water sources; (ii) preparation of emergency and water disaster management plans in coordination with the National Risk Council; (iii) development of a comprehensive information base on national water sources, its uses, and its legal, administrative, financial, and technical systems (iv) enhancement of private sector institutions’ access to available water information; (v) encouragement of water research and studies; (vi) regular monitoring of groundwater, including levels, quantities, and quality. They measure water extraction, assess stored water quality, track depletion rates, and utilize various technologies such as meters and specialized devices, along with technical expertise, to accomplish these tasks; (vii) establishment of high-efficiency infrastructure, networks, and systems for water harvesting.
Chapter IV concerns the water resources and ownership. Water resources are classified into (i) groundwater: all layers holding both renewable and non-renewable water located beneath the terrestrial and maritime boundaries of the Kingdom; (ii) surface water: seas, lakes, rivers, and more, as well as the protected area around these water sources, considered part of them for regulatory purposes; (iii) industrial basins and waterways, including water stored behind dams constructed for the purpose of collecting or storing water for the public benefit from surface water sources. Furthermore, the Ministry works on improving the efficiency of utilizing rainwater harvesting. The Regulations for rainwater apply once it has been transferred to a natural or industrial water basin. As ownership, it is stated in Article 28 that the tenure of the land does not automatically grant the right to possess underground or surface water sources, and the utilization of these sources by the landowner or anyone else is strictly prohibited except by the regulations outlined in the system. The Chapter also deals with water utilization permits.
Chapter V on the water uses, classifies these uses according to Article 12 of the Water Law into (i) water use for development purposes; (ii) water use for agricultural purposes; and (iii) use of treated wastewater. The Regulation also underlines the rules for general controls for licenses to use water sources as well as the establishment of a register of water resource use rights, called the “Water Rights Register,” in which the use rights granted under licenses issued by the Ministry and any actions or restrictions imposed on them shall be recorded. As a general rule for water use, Article 79 establishes that Government entities, private entities, licensed individuals, and water users are required to commit to the prudent use of water and to use tools, equipment, and facilities for water conservation that adhere to the standard specifications and approved technical regulations in the Kingdom. This includes the technical regulations for water conservation tools issued by the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, as well as other standard specifications and technical regulations related to sanitary tools or materials associated with water conservation or guiding their use.
The final section of the Regulation regards violations and penalties and, in particular, concerns (i) the Committees examining violations; (ii) the supervision and inspection staff; (iii) control procedures