9.1 Legal Framework
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• The WAD shall examine and verify the pollutant loading capacity of waters in
accordance with the water quality objectives of the water function zone and the
water purification capacity; the WAD shall also make suggestions to the EPAD
on the pollutant discharge limits of waters (Article 32).
• The state must develop the drinking water source protection zone system. Provincial governments shall delimit drinking water source protection zones and shall
take measures to prevent water sources from depletion and pollution (Article 33).
Wastewater discharge outlets shall not be constructed in drinking water source
protection zones (Article 34).
• The construction, reconstruction or expansion of wastewater discharge outlets
into rivers and lakes shall be approved by the WAD or RBOs within jurisdictions
(Article 35).
In addition, the 2016 Environmental Protection Taxation Law stipulates an
environmental pollution tax on the direct discharge of water pollutants into the
environment (Articles 2 and 3).
Based on these laws, several State Council decrees detail the water quality
management systems:
• The 1994 Urban Water Supply Regulation establishes that any activity degrading
water quality shall be forbidden (Article 14). Urban water supply companies shall
develop water quality monitoring systems to guarantee that urban water supplies
meet the national drinking water hygiene standards (Article 20).
• The 2017 River Course Management Regulation stipulates that the construction
and expansion of discharge outlets in river channels or lakes shall be approved by
the river course administrative departments (Article 34). The river course administrative departments shall conduct river course water quality monitoring and help
the EPAD to supervise water pollution control (Article 35).
• The 2006 Regulation on the Management of Water Abstraction Permits and Water
Resources Fee Collection states that if water abstraction will deteriorate the water
quality and thus affect its use, the approval agency shall object and/or limit water
abstraction volumes (Article 14).
• The 2013 Urban Drainage and Wastewater Treatment Regulation stipulates that
except for the arid area, new regional development shall develop separate networks
for rainwater and wastewater; for those areas with combined systems, reconstruction shall be promoted to build separate systems (Article 19). The wastewater shall
be discharged into an urban drainage system in the facility-covered area (Article
20). The operation unit of urban wastewater treatment facilities shall guarantee
that discharged water quality meets the standards (Article 29).
Based on the laws and the State Council decrees, ministerial and departmental
rules detail the implementation procedures of these systems. These regulations
include the 2008 Water Abstraction Management Method; the 2004 Supervision and
Management Method for Discharge Outlets into Water Body and the 2003 Water
Function Zone Management Method by MWR; the 2006 Urban Water Supply Water
203
• The WAD shall examine and verify the pollutant loading capacity of waters in
accordance with the water quality objectives of the water function zone and the
water purification capacity; the WAD shall also make suggestions to the EPAD
on the pollutant discharge limits of waters (Article 32).
• The state must develop the drinking water source protection zone system. Provincial governments shall delimit drinking water source protection zones and shall
take measures to prevent water sources from depletion and pollution (Article 33).
Wastewater discharge outlets shall not be constructed in drinking water source
protection zones (Article 34).
• The construction, reconstruction or expansion of wastewater discharge outlets
into rivers and lakes shall be approved by the WAD or RBOs within jurisdictions
(Article 35).
In addition, the 2016 Environmental Protection Taxation Law stipulates an
environmental pollution tax on the direct discharge of water pollutants into the
environment (Articles 2 and 3).
Based on these laws, several State Council decrees detail the water quality
management systems:
• The 1994 Urban Water Supply Regulation establishes that any activity degrading
water quality shall be forbidden (Article 14). Urban water supply companies shall
develop water quality monitoring systems to guarantee that urban water supplies
meet the national drinking water hygiene standards (Article 20).
• The 2017 River Course Management Regulation stipulates that the construction
and expansion of discharge outlets in river channels or lakes shall be approved by
the river course administrative departments (Article 34). The river course administrative departments shall conduct river course water quality monitoring and help
the EPAD to supervise water pollution control (Article 35).
• The 2006 Regulation on the Management of Water Abstraction Permits and Water
Resources Fee Collection states that if water abstraction will deteriorate the water
quality and thus affect its use, the approval agency shall object and/or limit water
abstraction volumes (Article 14).
• The 2013 Urban Drainage and Wastewater Treatment Regulation stipulates that
except for the arid area, new regional development shall develop separate networks
for rainwater and wastewater; for those areas with combined systems, reconstruction shall be promoted to build separate systems (Article 19). The wastewater shall
be discharged into an urban drainage system in the facility-covered area (Article
20). The operation unit of urban wastewater treatment facilities shall guarantee
that discharged water quality meets the standards (Article 29).
Based on the laws and the State Council decrees, ministerial and departmental
rules detail the implementation procedures of these systems. These regulations
include the 2008 Water Abstraction Management Method; the 2004 Supervision and
Management Method for Discharge Outlets into Water Body and the 2003 Water
Function Zone Management Method by MWR; the 2006 Urban Water Supply Water