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Groundwater Legislation and Regulation. Facilitated by Dr. Martin O. Eduvie National Water resources Institute kaduna Nigeria. Learning Objectives. The need for Integrated legislation of groundwater; Components of legislation; Institutional arrangements for IGW management.
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Groundwater Legislation and Regulation Facilitated by Dr. Martin O. Eduvie National Water resources Institute kaduna Nigeria
Learning Objectives • The need for Integrated legislation of groundwater; • Components of legislation; • Institutional arrangements for IGW management
Why legislation of GW Groundwater legislation is required to: • Regulate groundwater development • Constrain activities that might compromise groundwater availability and quality • Address increasing competition and conflict between groundwater users, and • Address increasing threat of groundwater pollution
GOVERNMENT Water Police Existing User Water Policy Water Act Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) Parliament Regulations Stakeholders RBC Water Info. & Planning Developer Groundwater table Case 1: Addressing Groundwater conflict Groundwater depletion ?
GOVERNMENT Water Policy Water Act Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) Parliament Permit Water Police RBC Water Info. & Planning Regulations Stakeholders CASE 2: ADDRESSING WATER POLLUTION
GOVERNMENT Water Policy Water Act Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) Parliament Permit Water Police RBC Water Info. & Planning Regulations Stakeholders CASE 3: ADDRESSING UPSTREAM-DOWNSTREAM CONFLICT
Integrated legislation Concerned with: • guidelines for, and limitations to the exercise of public powers • provision for the quantification, planning, allocation and conservation of groundwater resources, including water abstraction and use rights • a system of wastewater discharge licenses, helping to protect groundwater against pollution • definition of the rights and duties of groundwater users • protection of users rights, of the rights of third parties and of the environment • requirements for the registration and qualification of well drillers • possible administrative intervention in critical situations (aquifer depletion or pollution) • provision for cooperative interaction between water administrators and water users.
Basic Legal Concepts • Legislation (written law) encompasses: • The fundamental law or constitution of a country • Laws enacted by a legislative body (parliament, national assembly) • Subsidiary legislation (degree or instruments adopted by the government executive)
Components of legislation • Basic legislation Restricted to fundamental powers and concepts. A more unified vision of surface water and groundwater resources. • Specific legislative associated with details and provisions in different administrative areas and at different territorial levels
Comparison legislation and regulation • Legislation: • Formal procedure • Parliamentary control • Central level • Guidance character • Dealing with competencies • Establishing rights and duties • Promulgation • Regulation • Less formal procedure • Multi-tiered or decentralized • Implementation or operational character • Publication Jaspers, 2006
Specific legislative provision • Groundwater Abstraction and Use Rights • Wastewater Discharge Licensing • Sanctions for Non-Compliance • Controlling Well Construction Activities • Catchment or Aquifer Level Resource Planning • Conjunctive Use of Groundwater and Surface Water • Land Surface Zoning for Groundwater Conservation and Protection • Facilitating Water-User and Stakeholder Participation • Provisions for Groundwater Monitoring In general terms, It must be flexible, enabling and enforceable
Public Administration in Groundwater & Specific Legal Provisions (National Level) (Lowest appropriate Level)
Requirements for Implementation of Fully-Integrated water resources legislation • the administrative set-up and the level of training of water administrators • a clear understanding of the institutional roles and functions at all relevant levels • an adequate level of public awareness and acceptance of legal provisions • political willingness to promote and attain sustainable groundwater management.
Institutional Challenges • Inadequate groundwater management boundaries, • Weak regulatory enforcement, • lack of social consensus, • poor inter-institutional coordination
Institutional arrangements for GW management Implementation of groundwater legislation requires: • An administrative set-up and the level of training of water administrators • a clear understanding of the institutional roles and functions at all relevant levels • an adequate level of public awareness and acceptance of legal provisions • political willingness to promote and attain sustainable groundwater management.
Institutional arrangements for GW management The essential role for government agency in the management process GWMate, 2006
Institutional arrangements for IWRM at River Basin Level Cap-Net, 2008
ExerciseDuration: 45 minutes Purpose • To share experience on groundwater legal & regulatory systems • To recommend appropriate allocation system Activity: break into two groups and discuss: • 1. Describe how to implement a groundwater allocation system and the mechanism of enforcement • 2.Discuss the groundwater legislation in your countries: • Give an example of effective regulation of groundwater • Is groundwater legislation, separate from water resources legislation or combined • What legislation or regulation are missing
Exercise cont. (Groundwater protection) • 1.Is there legislation to protect groundwater from pollution / overuse? • 2.Is the legislation adequate? • 3.Who is responsible for policing this legislation? • 4.Do they have sufficient capacity? What are the main constraints?
Legal Status – Exercise cont. • Which institutions are empowered by law to manage groundwater? • Is groundwater use and development covered by specific laws? • If yes, specify nature of laws • Are these laws effectively enforced? • At what level are users I developers required to seek permits from the relevant authorities? Are such procedures enforced? Are they accessible and readily available? • Public I Private water. What is the breakdown between public and private groundwater? What are the capacity constraints for improving I increasing / conserving (depending on resource constraints) the use of private water? • In your perception what are the capacity building needs?
Appreciation • Thank You