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3 Water Resources Management Institutions
• Urban water-related affairs management. The detailed management responsibilities for urban water-related affairs were decentralized to local municipal government to determine the management institutions for water supply, water saving,
and drainage and wastewater treatment. The State Council departments provided
the technical guidance according to specific functions (see Chapter 16).
• Three Gorge Project and South-to-North Water Transfer Project. The engineering
construction and management during the construction period was conducted by
the State Council Office of the Three Gorge Project Construction Committee and
the State Council Office of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project Construction Committee. The operation of the projects after construction was managed by
the MWR.
Therefore, over this period, the MWR paid greater attention to water resources
and their management, and even water infrastructure construction was considered in
terms of water resources development and allocation. At the same time, the waterrelated organization structure reflected that the MWR was a relatively centralized
agency responsible for most water resources management functions. As for water
quality management, it was designed more as a coordinated arrangement between
the MWR and the MEP in response to key issues and past institutional arrangements.
3.5 MWR and Related Ministries After 2018
The 2018 governmental institutional reform is remarkable. This reform aimed
to transfer governmental functions and reduce the barriers limiting the market
role in resources allocation. In terms of water-related departments, the following
developments occurred (State Council 2018):
• The MNR was established to ensure unified practice in the ownership of public
natural resources, implement land use control and eco-restoration responsibilities,
and resolve the problems of the absent ownership of public natural resources
and overlap of spatial plans. The management responsibility for water resources
investigation and rights clarification and registration from the MWR were merged
into the MNR, along with other functions from the MLR, NDRC, MOHURD,
Ministry of Agriculture, State Forestry Administration, and other such agencies.
Consequently, the functions of the MNR include the following:
– Performing the duties of the owners of all public-owned natural resources
including water, etc., and of overall land use spatial control. Drafting natural
resources and spatial control legislations, formulating departmental rules and
supervising their implementation.
– Being responsible for natural resources investigation, monitoring, and assessment. Formulating indicator systems and statistical standards; developing integrated and standardized systems; being in charge of supervision, management,
3 Water Resources Management Institutions
• Urban water-related affairs management. The detailed management responsibilities for urban water-related affairs were decentralized to local municipal government to determine the management institutions for water supply, water saving,
and drainage and wastewater treatment. The State Council departments provided
the technical guidance according to specific functions (see Chapter 16).
• Three Gorge Project and South-to-North Water Transfer Project. The engineering
construction and management during the construction period was conducted by
the State Council Office of the Three Gorge Project Construction Committee and
the State Council Office of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project Construction Committee. The operation of the projects after construction was managed by
the MWR.
Therefore, over this period, the MWR paid greater attention to water resources
and their management, and even water infrastructure construction was considered in
terms of water resources development and allocation. At the same time, the waterrelated organization structure reflected that the MWR was a relatively centralized
agency responsible for most water resources management functions. As for water
quality management, it was designed more as a coordinated arrangement between
the MWR and the MEP in response to key issues and past institutional arrangements.
3.5 MWR and Related Ministries After 2018
The 2018 governmental institutional reform is remarkable. This reform aimed
to transfer governmental functions and reduce the barriers limiting the market
role in resources allocation. In terms of water-related departments, the following
developments occurred (State Council 2018):
• The MNR was established to ensure unified practice in the ownership of public
natural resources, implement land use control and eco-restoration responsibilities,
and resolve the problems of the absent ownership of public natural resources
and overlap of spatial plans. The management responsibility for water resources
investigation and rights clarification and registration from the MWR were merged
into the MNR, along with other functions from the MLR, NDRC, MOHURD,
Ministry of Agriculture, State Forestry Administration, and other such agencies.
Consequently, the functions of the MNR include the following:
– Performing the duties of the owners of all public-owned natural resources
including water, etc., and of overall land use spatial control. Drafting natural
resources and spatial control legislations, formulating departmental rules and
supervising their implementation.
– Being responsible for natural resources investigation, monitoring, and assessment. Formulating indicator systems and statistical standards; developing integrated and standardized systems; being in charge of supervision, management,