Who approves stormwater and drainage works in the Kingdom, what the Balady platform is for, and the typical path from hydrological study to municipal permit — explained for engineers, consultants and developers.
In Saudi Arabia, drainage and stormwater works are approved at the municipal level. The municipalities (amanat for the larger regions, baladiyat for sub-areas) operate under the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH), which sets national municipal policy. On major developments and giga-projects, the project authority (for example a master-developer or a dedicated commission) may layer additional engineering standards and review steps on top of the municipal baseline.
Balady is the Kingdom's national municipal e-services platform. It is the digital channel through which construction and infrastructure permits — including stormwater connection, drainage linkage and related approvals — are submitted to, reviewed by, and issued by the municipalities. In practice, the engineering documents for a drainage proposal are prepared offline and then submitted through Balady for municipal review.
The exact workflow varies by municipality and project size, but a stormwater approval generally follows this sequence:
Establish the catchment, design rainfall and runoff for the site, and the drainage strategy (infiltration, attenuation, or connection to a network).
Where infiltration (a soakaway) is proposed, an on-site percolation test confirms the soil's infiltration rate and that groundwater is low enough.
Size the soakaway or attenuation system, check it structurally for the loads above, and produce the supporting calculations and drawings.
Lodge the drainage proposal and supporting documents through the Balady platform for the relevant municipality.
The municipality reviews the submission against the Saudi Building Code and its local manual, raises comments if needed, and issues the approval/permit.
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Hydrological / drainage study | Defines runoff, design storm and the drainage strategy. |
| Percolation (infiltration) test results | Confirms soakaway feasibility and infiltration rate. |
| Drainage system design & calculations | Demonstrates the system meets the design requirements. |
| Layout & detail drawings | Show the system's location, levels and connections. |
| Compliance references | Alignment with SBC and the relevant municipal manual. |
Exact requirements differ by municipality and project — always confirm the current checklist with the relevant authority. See the standards & references page for each governing document.
NGS provides the engineering inputs that make a drainage submission review-ready: a sized soakaway or attenuation design aligned with recognised standards, the supporting calculations, and an engineering summary. The NGS Design Studio generates a standards-aligned soakaway design with a downloadable summary, and the NGS engineering team supports the wider package.
Who approves stormwater and drainage works in Saudi Arabia?
Municipal authorities (amanat and baladiyat) under MOMAH, with permits processed through the Balady platform. Large developments and giga-projects may add their own authority requirements.
What is the Balady platform?
Saudi Arabia's national municipal e-services platform — the channel through which construction and infrastructure permits, including stormwater and drainage approvals, are submitted and issued.
What documents are typically needed?
Usually a hydrological/drainage study, a percolation test where infiltration is proposed, the system design and calculations, and supporting drawings — aligned with the Saudi Building Code and the relevant municipal manual. Requirements vary by municipality.
Does NGS help with the approval process?
Yes — NGS prepares the engineering package (sized, standards-aligned designs, calculations and an engineering summary) through the Design Studio and its engineering team, ready for municipal review.