Legislation

EU Legislation

The framework for water management, improvement of water quality and protection of aquatic environment in the EU is provided by Water Framework Directive (DIRECTIVE 2000/60/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy). The Directive has been implemented into the Water Act 254/2001 col., as amended, which is the major piece of national legislation regarding water management and protection.

Drinking Water Directive - Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption concerns the quality of water intended for human consumption. Its objective is to protect human health from adverse effects of any contamination of water intended for human consumption by ensuring that it is wholesome and clean. The requirements of the directive have been implemented into decree 252/2004 col., which provides hygienic requirements on drinking water and hot water and frequency and extent of the control over drinking water. The Act of 14 July 2000 on the protection of public health and amendments to some Acts, provides a national framework for the required quality and public supply of drinking water.

Bathing water Directive - 2006/7/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 15. February 2006 concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC has been implemented into the Water Act 254/2001 col., as amended, and into the decree 155/2011 col., of 30 May 2011 on bathing profiles of surface waters. Although, the main responsibility regarding bathing waters lies on the Ministry of Health, the River Board, state enterprises under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, are responsible for providing initial data for registry of natural bathing waters administrated by the Ministry of Environment.

Urban Waste Water Directive - Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water treatment was adopted on 21 May 1991 to protect the water environment from the adverse effects of discharges of urban waste water and from certain industrial discharges has been implemented into the Water Act 254/2001 col., as amended, and Act 274/2001 col., of 10 July 2001 on public water mains and sewerage, as amended. Any discharge of waste water and construction of waste water treatment plant and sewerage system must be authorised by a local Water Authority governed by central Water Authorities.  The River Board, state enterprises under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, represent the controlling mechanism for authorising the construction and management of sewerage providing local Water Authorities with statements for individual projects. The responsibility of improving water quality through better waste water treatment lies on the Ministry of Environment.

The Nitrates Directive - Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Nitrates Directive forms an integral part of the Water Framework Directive and is one of the key instruments in the protection of waters against agricultural pressures. It is an obvious responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture to promote and financially support good farming practices and other measures to prevent pollution of water and also to reduce the soil erosion and degradation which are often closely related to water pollution. The designation and register of vulnerable areas is within the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment as is the governance of related Action Programme. The vulnerable areas are provided in decree 262/2012 col., of 4 July 2012 on designation of vulnerable areas and Action Programme.

The implementation of the Ground Water Directive (Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration) is under the authority of the Ministry of Environment. However, as the River Board, state enterprises, are responsible for preparing the sub-basin plans of which groundwater protection is unavoidable part, the Ministry of Agriculture is also involved in provisions regarding ground water protection. The directive has been implemented into the Water Act 254/2001 col., as amended.

CZ Legislation

The main national document concerning water management that incorporates requirements of European directives is the Water Act 254/2001 col., of 28 June 2001 on Water and Amendments to Some Acts - The Water Act. The validity of enclosed document is to the date of the first issue of the Water Act, further updates are not included.