According to new executive orders released by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia will levy fines of up to 200,000 Saudi riyals for infractions pertaining to the overuse of water and water infrastructure.
As part of the government's attempts to guarantee adherence to national water conservation requirements, the new laws provide specific fines for infractions in five major areas: general, industrial, service, agricultural, and urban.
The use of inefficient plumbing fixtures, such as non-compliant faucets, mixers, showers, bidets, and flushing systems, can result in fines of up to SR10,000 in the urban sector. A fine of SR2,000 may be incurred for removing or altering these fixtures' efficiency components. Penalties of up to SR50,000 may result from water waste brought on by storage tank cracks, insulation problems, or malfunctioning float valves.
A maximum fine of SR200,000 could be imposed for the most serious urban infraction, which is the use of a drinking water tank for unintended purposes when there are other sources, such as treated wastewater or licensed wells, available.
Additional infractions in the urban sector include SR10,000 for internal water network leaks, SR100,000 for using inefficient irrigation systems, and SR100,000 for failing to operate a grey water station in qualifying buildings or complexes. Facilities risk SR10,000 in fines if they don't display water conservation awareness materials in user-appropriate languages.
