Saudi Arabia has approved updated water efficiency and conservation regulations that introduce fines of up to SR200,000. The rules will apply across urban, agricultural and industrial sectors from March 21, 2027. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture approved the revised executive regulations for monitoring compliance with water-efficiency standards. They give the National Water Efficiency and Conservation Center authority to investigate violations, address breaches and enforce the rules. Saudi Arabia’s official gazette, Umm Al-Qura, published the regulations this week. The rules cover homes, commercial properties, construction sites, public facilities, landscaping and other urban water users. Penalties rise for inefficient fixtures Under the new schedule, using sanitary fixtures that fail to meet water-efficiency standards will carry a SR1,000 fine for a first offence. The fine rises to SR2,000 for a second offence and SR10,000 for a third. The rules cover products such as faucets, mixers, showers, bidets and flush tanks. Authorities will also penalise anyone who tampers with or removes water-saving components from sanitary fixtures. Read More: From Iran to the US: 10 Places Running Out of Water That violation carries a SR500 fine for a first offence. A second offence costs SR1,000, while a third can bring a SR2,000 fine. The regulations also target avoidable water loss from underground and rooftop storage tanks. Leaks caused by cracks, inadequate insulation, malfunction or the absence of a float valve can trigger a SR5,000 first-offence fine. A repeat violation will cost SR10,000. A third offence can bring a SR50,000 penalty. Drinking water misuse can cost SR200,000 The steepest urban penalties apply when consumers misuse potable water despite having access to suitable alternatives. These alternatives can include treated wastewater, a treated-water network or a licensed well. The first such violation carries a SR25,000 fine. A second or third offence can result in a SR200,000 penalty. The wider regulations also cover failures involving greywater treatment systems and inefficient irrigation. They also address leaks in irrigation or internal networks and missing water-conservation awareness material at public facilities. Saudi pushes broader conservation drive The tougher enforcement comes as Saudi Arabia expands its water-efficiency programmes. The National Center for Water Efficiency and Rationalization began operations in 2023. Its CEO, Fahad Al-Dosari, said in July that government-sector conservation efforts had generated savings exceeding SR300 million since then. Residential-sector savings reached nearly SR200 million. Daily water savings reached about 158,000 cubic metres in the first half of 2026. That compares with about 25,000 cubic metres per day in 2023. Read More: Saudi Arabia Stocks 2.2 Million Bottles of Zamzam Water for Ramadan Al-Dosari also said around 80% of leak cases detected by the center involved ground tanks, float systems and hidden meter-to-tank connections. The figure helps explain the new focus on preventable storage-tank leaks. The center has also expanded conservation work into agriculture and industry. Saudi Arabia is developing efficiency measures for irrigation and other high-consumption activities. The new rules form part of a broader effort to curb unnecessary consumption and improve water efficiency across the kingdom.