Law No. 159-IIQ on municipal water management.

This Law defines the legal basis for the relations between the municipalities and relative government executive bodies, entities and individuals regarding the use and protection of the water structures located within a territory of municipalities of the Azerbaijan Republic. The water economy of municipalities is the activities regarding the regulation, use and protection of the local significant underground and surface waters located on the municipal lands, as well the elimination of erosion. The following refers to the water economy structure of municipalities: 1) the water economy systems and facilities of municipalities; 2) the spring waters, boreholes, wells and other local significance water structures within a territory of municipalities, which are not belonging to the state and private property. The municipalities have defined the water use rate from the municipal water economy structures and its differentiation in respect of a water quality, purpose of the use (drinking, technical, irrigation and others), seasonal change and needs in the water resources, technical level of the water economy structures, methods of the water extraction and transportation, and other factors interfering to its operational costs. The Law consists of 6 Parts that contain 22 articles. Part 1 lays down the general provisions (arts. 1 and 2). Part 2 deals with the objects and subjects of the municipal water economy (arts. 3-5). Part 3 deals with organization and management of the water economy of municipalities (arts. 6-10). Part 4 regards use of the municipal water economy structures (arts. 11-16). Part 5 determines the rights and duties of municipalities to regulate water relations (arts. 17-20). Part 6 establishes responsibilities for violation of the legislation on water economy of municipalities and settlement of disputes (arts. 21 and 22).