Saudi Arabia sets water conservation fines of up to SR200,000
Dubai: Saudi Arabia has approved updated regulations governing water efficiency and conservation, introducing fines of up to SR200,000 for violations across the urban, agricultural and industrial sectors. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the revised executive regulations would give the National Water Efficiency and Conservation Center authority to investigate breaches,…
Saudi Arabia has implemented new regulations to enforce water conservation measures, with penalties reaching as high as SR200,000 for violations. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced that the updated executive regulations grant the National Water Efficiency and Conservation Center the power to investigate and enforce compliance across urban, agricultural, and industrial sectors.
The rules are set to commence on March 21, 2027. In urban areas, non-compliant sanitary fixtures will be fined at increasing levels for repeat offenses, from SR1,000 for the first violation to SR200,000 for the third. Tampering with water-saving components in these fixtures is also punishable. For agricultural and industrial sectors, significant penalties apply to water waste due to tank faults, with fines starting at SR5,000 for first-time offenders and escalating to SR200,000 for third violations.
The most severe fines are reserved for cases where drinking water is used inappropriately, even when alternative supplies are available, with fines reaching SR200,000 for the third offense. This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to reduce unnecessary water consumption and enhance efficiency in the kingdom's most water-intensive industries, marking 2027 as the Year of Water.
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