Water Fees

      Category:  Price-Based Instruments
      Policy Type:  Taxes, Fees, Levies
      Sector:  Mixed
      Region:  Europe
      Country:  Croatia
      Description: Under the Croatian Water Management Financing Act, there are various water-related fees including water contribution, water regulation fee, water use fee, water protection fee. The water fees are public levies. They are major sources of funds for financing water management. All water charges are collected by the water agency-Croatian Waters.
      Outcome:  Water fees go towards financing water management. Specifically, the water protection fee is used for financing construction of major public sewage facilities and for monitoring and protecting water quality.

      Reference:  Water Fees (Croatia)

      Water Pollutant Discharge Permit System

      Category:  Regulatory Approaches
      Policy Type:  Environmental Caps & Limits
      Sector:  Wastewater
      Region:  Asia
      Country:  China
      Description: Under the 2008 Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law (P.R.C), the Water Pollutant Discharge Permit System is established at the local government level. Entities directly or indirectly discharging industrial and medical waste and entities operating facilities to treat urban sewage are required to obtain pollution discharge permits. All entities are prohibited from discharging wastewater and sewage without the pollutant discharge permit or in violation of the terms of the permit. The local government above the county level shall each issue pollutant discharge permits or provisional pollutant discharge permits if polluting enterprises exceed the indexes of approved total discharge quantity.
      Outcome:  The Water Pollutant Discharge Permit System has caused some entities to reduce their nutrient discharges. It also lays important groundwork for future water pollution trading schemes.

      Reference:  Water Pollutant Discharge Permit System (China)--In Chinese

      Water Pollution Control Law

      Category:  Regulatory Approaches
      Policy Type:  Regulatory Framework; Environmental Standards; Environmental Caps & Limits
      Sector:  Urban
      Region:  Asia
      Country:  Japan
      Description: The purposes of the Water Pollution Control Law in Japan are to prevent the pollution of water (including form of deterioration of the condition of water other than the deterioration of water quality; the same hereinafter) in the Public Water Areas by regulating effluent discharged by factories or establishments into the Public Water Areas, thereby to protect human health and to preserve the living environment and to protect sufferers by setting forth stipulations regarding the responsibilities of the proprietors of factories or establishments to compensate the damage in cases where human health is damaged by polluted water or wastewater discharged from factories or establishments.
      Outcome:  The Water Pollution Control Law in Japan requires national and local governments to take pollution control measures for discharges from industrial facilities, which helps to improve water quality.

      Reference:  Water Pollution Control Law

      Water Quality and Ecosystem Conservation Act

      Category:  Regulatory Approaches; Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation
      Policy Type:  Environmental Standards; Monitoring; Research
      Sector:  Mixed
      Region:  Asia
      Country:  South Korea
      Description: Korea's Water Quality and Ecosystem Conservation Act aims to prevent people’s health and environment from being exposed to harm and danger caused by water pollution and to properly manage and preserve water quality and aquatic ecosystems of the public waters, including rivers, lakes and marshes. Under this Act, each Mayor/Do governor may install a monitoring net to regularly measure the level of water pollution in order to ascertain the actual state of water pollution and aquatic ecosystems or conduct research on the current status of water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the respective jurisdictional areas.
      Outcome:  This Act helps prevent the public from accidental water pollution and contributes to water conservation and water resources protection.

      Reference:  Water Quality and Ecosystem Conservation Act

      Water for the Future Initiative

      Category:  Institutions & Capacity; Price-Based Instruments
      Policy Type:  Institutional Capacity; Subsidies, Grants & Incentive Payments
      Sector:  Mixed
      Region:  Oceania
      Country:  Australia
      Description: Water for the Future is the Australian Government's long-term initiative to better balance the water needs of communities, farmers and the environment. It contains a suite of urban and rural policies and programs, including significant funding for water purchasing, irrigation modernisation, desalination, recycling, and stormwater capture.
      Outcome:  Through the Water for the Future initiative, the Australian Government is preparing for taking action on climate change, encouraging the wise use of water, helping cities and towns secure water supplies,improving the health of rivers and wetlands.

      Reference:  Water for the Future Initiative (Australia)