Test Drive | Page 109

Chapter  6:  Legal  and  regulatory  framework  of  Water  Law     The  Water  Law  seems  to  be  an  articulation  of  the  concept  of  concession  and  regulation  by  the  State  used  in   the  Constitution.  The  Water  Law  recognizes  traditional  diversion  rights  and  usufruct  rights  as  mentioned  above   in  Article  29.  The  Water  Law  recognizes  the  traditional  usufruct  and  diversion  rights,  provided  that  the  water  is   45 used   for   irrigation   in   connection   with   agricultural   land.  From   these   provisions   it   can   be   concluded   that   for   all   46 existing  diversion  and  usufruct  rights,  which  do  no  stem  from  custom,  registration  with  NWRA  is  required.       6.5.2    Selling  and  transferring  of  diversion  and  usufruct  rights   Shari’ah  employs  two  lines  of  thought  when  it  comes  to  the  transfer  of  diversion  and  usufruct  rights.  The  first   line  of  reasoning  regards  water  rights  as  connected  to  the  land.  Therefore,  water  rights  are  inseparable  from   the  land  and  transfers  automatically  with  the  land  through  sale  or  inheritance.  The  second  line  of  reasoning   argues   that   water   rights   and   land   can   be   separated   and   that   transfer   of   water   rights   should   be   expressly   stipulated  when  land  is  sold.  If  this  is  not  done,  the  water  rights  remain  with  the  previous  landowner.           The  Civil  Code  also  allowed  for  the  ownership  of  land  and  the  ownership  of  what  is  above  and  beneath  to  be   separated   through   agreement,   as   long   as   it   does   not   contradict   other   legal   provisions.   The   Civil   Code   does   define  irrigation  rights  as  servitude  to  the  land,  making  this  right  inheritable  and  transferable  by  selling  land.   Article   1363   makes   this   explicit   by   stating:   ‘the   right   to   use   water   for   irrigation   is   an   appurtenance   to   the   land,   so  that  it  is  inheritable  but  it  cannot  be  sold  separately  from  the  land,  neither  may  it  be  rented  or  donated,   except  in  accordance  with  a  recognized  custom.’  For  this  reason  all  water  rights,  besides  irrigation  rights,  are   transferable  and  use  can  be  separated  from  the  land.       As   mentioned,   the   Water   Law   allows   traditional   water   diversion   rights   except   water   rights   for   irrigation   47 purposes,   obtained   before   the   entry   into   force   of   the   Water   Law,   to   continue   without   application   of   the   law.   These   rights   are   also   servitudes   of   the   land,   which   means   that   according   to   the   Law   they   are   compulsorily   48 transferred  with  the  land.  The  Water  Law  does  impose  the  condition  that  the  purposes  and  amount  of  water   use  for  irrigation  may  not  be  changed  in  order  to  be  preserved  and  the  rights  are  subject  to  registration  with   the   State.   All   other   diversion   and   usufruct   rights   to,   for   instance   groundwater,   whether   obtained   prior   to   or   after   the   issuance   of   the   Water   Law   are   subject   to   licensing   and   regulation   by   the   State.   The   terms   and   conditions  of  these  rights  are  specified  and  assigned  by  the  relevant  Authority  as  explained  in  article  37:  ‘[n]o   beneficiary   may   exceed   the   quantities   or   surpass   the   purposes   of   use   or   any   other   technical   specifications   identified  by  the  Authority.  The  beneficiaries  should  strictly  observe  the  conditions  in  the  license.  The  bylaws   49 provide  the  necessary  details  for  implementing  these  conditions.’     As   the   Water   Law   implicitly   recognizes   that   water   is   owned   by   the   State   as   stated   in   the   Constitution   and   that   usufruct  rights  are  administered  by  the  State,  usufruct  rights  can  only  be  obtained  by  individuals  and  entities   based   on   the   provision   of   the   Law.   Accordingly,   it   can   be   assumed   that   usufruct   rights   cannot   be   sold   or   transferred   without   regulation   and   monitoring   by   the