23M m² Surveyed in Wadi Hanifah for Violations

More than 23 million square meters have been surveyed in Wadi Hanifah as part of the ongoing national environmental compliance campaign led by the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) in 2026. The effort aims to detect and address environmental violations across the valley and its surroundings.

The campaign focuses on identifying dust, construction, waste, water, air and soil pollution violations, with particular attention to development projects and unauthorized activities in and around the valley. Enforcement steps currently include periodic field inspections of projects and facilities along Wadi Hanifah and its tributaries, water-quality sampling and analysis at multiple points, and the operation of the Atika biological treatment station to improve running-water quality.

Under the current Environmental Law, general environmental violations may incur administrative fines of up to 20,000,000 SAR, while serious offenses can be punished by imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines reaching 30,000,000 SAR, in addition to possible suspension or revocation of licenses. Recent regulatory amendments introduced fines of up to 5,000,000 SAR and deportation for non-Saudi offenders in major cases such as dumping or discharging untreated wastewater into wells, natural areas, or aquifers, with such cases referred to a specialized environmental court.

Published violation schedules apply graduated fines for specific offenses. For example, planting in vegetation lands without a license carries fines of 300 SAR, 1,000 SAR, and 5,000 SAR for repeated offenses, while pollution and rehabilitation-plan violations range from 10,000 to 100,000 SAR depending on severity.

Enforcement remains active: in mid-2026, NCEC reported issuing over 16,000,000 SAR in fines for 557 dust-control violations. For residents, the campaign underlines the value of preserving Wadi Hanifah as a vital natural and recreational site, and the growing consequences of environmental breaches.

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