Tasks and powers of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam in state management of water resources

1. To guide, examine and organize the implementation of policies, laws and decided or approved strategies, master plans, plans, programs, schemes and projects on prevention and control of water source pollution, deterioration and depletion, restoration of deteriorated or depleted water sources and response to and remediation of water source pollution incidents so as to economically and effectively exploit and use water sources of river basins under the Ministry’s management for integrated and multiple purposes;

2. To elaborate master plans on baseline survey of water resources and the national water resource master plans; to elaborate and approve water resource master plans for inter-provincial river basins and inter-provincial water sources and organize the implementation of the master plans after they are approved; to give written opinions on water resource master plans of provinces and centrally run cities; to approve contents involving exploitation, use and protection of water resources and the prevention, control and remediation of harmful effects caused by water to irrigation, hydroelectric power and water supply, and inland waterway transport master plans and other master plans involving the exploitation and use of water resources which are elaborated by ministries and ministerial-level agencies, and activities related to the exploitation, use and protection of water resources according to its competence; to appraise projects on water transfer between river basins;

3. To classify inter-provincial water sources by degree of pollution and depletion; to elaborate plans on the regulation and distribution of water resources to restore inter-provincial water sources already polluted, deteriorated or depleted and organize the implementation of such plans after they are approved by competent authorities; to guide and examine the implementation of plans on the regulation and distribution of water resources and plans on prevention and control of water source deterioration and depletion in construction, production, business and service activities in accordance with law;

4. To make a list of inter-provincial river basins; to make and promulgate a list of intra-provincial river basins and lists of inter-provincial and transnational water sources;

5. To zone off and announce areas where groundwater exploitation is banned or restricted, areas requiring artificial supplementation of groundwater, the minimum flow and groundwater exploitation limits in accordance with law; to guide the observance of regulations on the formation and management of water source protection corridors in accordance with law; to determine and publicize sanitation protection zones of domestic water-supplying areas;

6. To develop water conservation models; to provide public information about water- saving models, technologies and equipment; to guide the observance of regulations on incentives for water conservation activities;

7. To elaborate and adjust inter-reservoir operation processes for river-basin reservoirs on the list of reservoirs, for which inter-reservoir operation processes are required, and guide the implementation of such processes after they are promulgated; to guide the implementation of regulations on surveillance and observation of water resource exploitation and use and discharge of wastewater into water sources of river basins; to appraise reservoir construction projects whether they satisfy the requirements of protection, exploitation and use of water resources for integrated and multiple purposes and conform with master plans on water resources;

8. To guide, examine and take measures to maintain the minimum flows of rivers, ensure the exploitation and integral and efficient use of water sources of river basins for reservoirs and the protection of river beds and banks and maintenance of water flow; to comply with standards and technical regulations on safety, prevention and control of land subsidence in the course of water exploration and exploitation in accordance with law; to direct the implementation of measures to restrict land subsidence (excluding irrigation works, dikes and natural disaster prevention and control) in the course of water exploration and exploitation in accordance with law;

9. To conduct baseline surveys of national water resources; to summarize results of baseline surveys of water resources and water resource exploitation, use and protection conducted by ministries, sectors and localities; to conduct water resource inventory, assessment and forecasts; to develop and manage a system for observation and surveillance of water resources, water exploitation and use and discharge of wastewater into water sources with regard to inter-provincial river basins and inter-provincial and transnational water sources; to develop, manage and exploit the national information system and database on water resources; to manage, archive, publicize and provide information and data on water resources, exploitation and use of water resources, water scarcity and shortage in river basins and measures to regulate, distribute and economically use water;

10. To guide, examine and organize the grant, extension, modification, suspension, revocation and re-grant of licenses to explore, exploit and use water resources, discharge wastewater into water sources and practice groundwater drilling; to approve the transfer of the water resource exploitation right in accordance with law;

11. To settle problems and disputes arising in the exploitation and use of water resources or discharge of wastewater into water sources falling under its licensing competence and other water resource-related problems among provinces and centrally run cities;

12. To act as the national focal body in exchanging information relating to transnational water sources and participating in international river basin organizations and river basin forums; to guide and examine the implementation of international conventions, treaties and agreements on water resources to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party;

13. To monitor, supervise and summarize developments of transnational water sources and promptly report to and propose the Government or the Prime Minister to handle arising issues so as to ensure Vietnam’s rights and interests;

14. To act as the standing body of the Vietnam Mekong River Commission, the National Council of Water Resources and other river basin committees.

View more details at Decree No. 36/2017/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government effective from April 04, 2017, replacing Decree No. 21/2013/NĐ-CP.

- Ngoc Duyen -

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