Law No. 16/91 approving the Water Act. Country/Territory Mozambique Document type Legislation Date 1991 Source FAO, FAOLEX Original source Boletim da República No. 31, 2nd Supplement, 3 August 1991, pp. 12-22. Subject Water Keyword Basic legislation Freshwater resources management Authorization/permit Registration Water rights Concession Water supply Irrigation Hydropower generation Industrial water use Navigation Effluent waste water/discharge Pollution control Freshwater pollution Geographical area Africa, Eastern Africa, Indian Ocean, Least Developed Countries Abstract This Law consisting of 76 articles, establishes the Water Act. It establishes water resources that belong to the public domain, water management principles, the need for an inventory of all existing water resources in the country, the general rules of its use, its priorities, the general rights of users and the corresponding obligations. In particular, article 1 defines all internal waters as State property, considering them as public waters. Waterworks, equipment and water infrastructures are under public domain as well. The purpose of this Act is to define water as public domain of State and establishes general policy in the water management sector, general legal regime for protection and conservation activities, exploitation of water resources, as well as defines competencies of the Government in this sector (art. 2). Full text Portuguese/English Website www.legis-palop.org; www.acismoz.com References - Legislation Implemented by Ministerial Order No. 70/2005 on the Regional Water Administration of Zambesi River (ARA-Zambese). Legislation | Mozambique | 2005 Keyword: River basin institution, Institution Source: FAO, FAOLEX Decree No. 25/91 enforcing the operation of the National Water Council. Legislation | Mozambique | 1991 Keyword: Institution Source: FAO, FAOLEX Decree No. 26/91 creating the Regional Water Administrations (ARA). Legislation | Mozambique | 1991 Keyword: Institution, Freshwater resources management Source: FAO, FAOLEX Ministerial Order No. 180/2004 approving the Regulation on water quality for human consumption. Legislation | Mozambique | 2004 Keyword: Water supply, Standards, Water quality standards, Potable water, Monitoring, Inspection Source: FAO, FAOLEX Ministerial Decision No. 70/97 establishing fees to be paid for water uses. Legislation | Mozambique | 1997 Keyword: Irrigation, Water supply Source: FAO, FAOLEX Decree No. 18/2012 approving the Regulation on Research and Exploitation of Groundwater (RPEAS). Legislation | Mozambique | 2012 Keyword: Groundwater, Inland waters, Research, Water abstraction, Authorization/permit, Basin/catchment/watershed, Standards, Inspection, Offences/penalties, Tax/levy Source: FAO, FAOLEX Decree No. 43/2007 approving the Regulation for licensing the concessions of water use. Legislation | Mozambique | 2007 Keyword: Authorization/permit, Registration, Water rights, Concession, Water supply, Irrigation, Hydropower generation, Industrial water use, Navigation Source: FAO, FAOLEX Decree 47/2009 approving the Regulation for small water dams. Legislation | Mozambique | 2009 Keyword: Authorization/permit, Water rights, Concession, Irrigation, Water charges Source: FAO, FAOLEX