Strict regulations on responsibility in exploiting water for daily life

On the afternoon of November 14, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on explaining, accepting and revising the draft Law on Water Resources (amended).

Reporting on a number of major issues regarding the explanation, acceptance, and revision of the draft Law on Water Resources (amended), Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment (KHCN&MT) Le Quang Huy said that regarding the protection of water resources and restoration of water sources, there were suggestions to strengthen post-inspection work, supplement regulations on standards, norms, and criteria for the management of surface water resources, and assign the Government to provide specific regulations on this content.

Incorporating the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the draft Law has been revised in the direction of management according to technical standards and regulations for technical regulations such as: Ensuring the circulation of water flows in Article 25; preventing and combating seawater pollution in Article 33; exploiting water resources for daily life in Article 43; collecting and treating used water in industrial production, mineral exploitation and processing in Article 47; preventing and combating saltwater intrusion in Article 64; preventing and combating land subsidence in Article 65; preventing and combating landslides and landslides of river and lake banks and beaches in Article 66.

Dialogue - Strict regulations on responsibility in exploiting water for daily life — Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy.

There was a suggestion to clearly define the legal basis for determining the minimum flow, Mr. Le Quang Huy said, regarding this content, the Standing Committee of the Science, Technology and Environment Committee recognized that the regulation of the minimum flow in the draft Law on Water Resources (amended) was inherited from the Law on Water Resources 2012, Resolution No. 62 dated November 27, 2013 of the National Assembly on strengthening the management of planning, investment in construction, operation and exploitation of hydropower works and has been implemented stably for many years.

Regarding the regulation and distribution of water resources, there are suggestions that it is necessary to regulate the development of urban water supply scenarios in the context of climate change, scenarios for urban areas affected by saline intrusion due to water and other negative impacts caused by climate change; research and development of risk scenarios for water resources in case of crisis.

Regarding this content, the Standing Committee of the Science, Technology and Environment Committee said that Article 35 and Article 36 of the draft Law stipulate the development of water resource scenarios; the responsibility of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministries, and Provincial People's Committees to develop plans for regulating and distributing water resources and to guide and direct the implementation in accordance with water resource conditions.

Accordingly, the content proposed by the National Assembly deputies has been included in the water source scenario; the plan to regulate and distribute water resources for urban areas in the conditions of climate change, saltwater intrusion and water source risks. "Therefore, please keep it as the draft Law", Mr. Huy stated.

There are opinions suggesting that the State should prioritize investment in the construction of water storage works, combined with artificial groundwater replenishment in island areas and areas with great economic development potential but located in water-scarce areas, where natural water resources are insufficient to meet development activities, and assign the Government to provide detailed regulations on artificial groundwater replenishment activities.

Dialogue - Strictly regulate responsibilities in exploiting water for domestic use (Figure 2). — Delegates at the meeting.

Incorporating the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the draft Law has been reviewed, supplemented, and revised to provide regulations on prioritizing investment in searching, exploring, and exploiting water resources, with preferential policies for investment projects in exploiting water for daily life and production for people in water-scarce areas;

Encourage the implementation of water storage activities; develop scientific and technological activities in water storage; encourage organizations and individuals to research solutions and implement artificial groundwater replenishment. At the same time, assign the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment to specify the artificial groundwater replenishment.

Regarding the exploitation and use of water resources, there are suggestions to supplement regulations related to the licensed water volume to be more flexible in normal and abnormal conditions as in Point h, Clause 2, Article 42 because the water exploitation license only stipulates one flow value under normal exploitation conditions.

The Standing Committee of the Science, Technology and Environment Committee found that the adjustment of exploitation flow under normal conditions has been shown in the license through the water exploitation quota specified in Point d, Clause 1, Article 41 and in abnormal conditions through the plan to regulate and distribute water resources when drought and water shortage occur as specified in Point h, Clause 2, Article 42. Therefore, please keep it as in the draft Law.

There are suggestions to review relevant regulations to strictly define responsibilities in exploiting water for domestic use. At the same time, assign the Government to specify automatic monitoring parameters, frequency, and periodic monitoring parameters to closely monitor changes in water quality before putting it into exploitation for domestic use.

Mr. Huy said, absorbing the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the draft Law has been reviewed and revised to strictly regulate the responsibilities of agencies in exploiting water for domestic use in Clauses 3 and 4, Article 43 on exploiting water resources for domestic use; monitoring and supervising water resources in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 51 and assigning the Government to specify the monitoring in Clause 3, Article 51 of the draft Law .

Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy.

Delegates at the meeting.

Comment (0)