On May 16, 2024, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issued Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT detailing the implementation of some provisions of the 2023 Water Resources Law.
Accordingly, Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT details the implementation of clause 4 of Article 22, clause 9 of Article 24, point b of clause 2 of Article 26, clause 8 of Article 31, clause 3 of Article 39 of the 2023 Water Resources Law on zoning of surface water sources; determination, adjustment of minimum flow; determination and organization of the announcement of sanitary protection zones in the area of domestic water intake; protection of groundwater in the activities specified in clause 2 of Article 31 of the 2023 Water Resources Law; formulation, adjustment of groundwater protection plan; artificial supplementation of groundwater.
Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT applies to agencies, organizations, communities, households, and individuals with activities related to the contents specified in Article 1 of Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT on the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Principles of water source zoning function
Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT stipulates the principles of water source zoning function as follows:
- Ensure the system in the river basin, consistent with the administrative boundaries at the provincial level.
- Suitable for the current exploitation, use of water resources, and the demand for water exploitation and use identified in the planning of water resources, regional planning, provincial planning, and technical, specialized planning with the content of exploiting, using water resources.
- The zoning of water source functions must be considered comprehensively about the value, benefits that the water source brings, the priority level must protect and facilitate in implementing the requirements for water source protection.
- Harmonize the interests in exploiting, using water resources, discharging wastewater into the water source among regions, localities, between upstream and downstream, between subjects exploiting, using water; ensure the effective exploitation, use of water resources, maintain the normal development of the aquatic ecosystem.
Circular 03/2024/TT-BTNMT takes effect from July 1, 2024.
