Decree No. 22.359 regulating the granting for the right of water resources use within the territory of the Federal District.

This Decree, consisting of 39 articles divided into 12 Chapters, regulates the granting for the right of water resources use within the territory of the Federal District. The objectives of this right are: regulate the use of water in any enterprise; ensure quantitative and qualitative control of water use; ensure to all the effective exercise of the right of access to water; ensure the availability of water, throughout the Federal District, to current users and future generations. The granting of the right for water resources use will be based on the following principles: it does not imply the alienation of inalienable waters, but the simple right to use them; water must be for everyone as the right to meet the basic needs of life; the use of water has a fundamental social function, primarily for human consumption and animal watering; everyone has the to preserve water resources in their quality and quantity; water use will be made compatible with development policies; water is controlled and used in standards of quality and quantity, by its current users and future generations, throughout the territory of the District Federal; the basic unit for the management of surface water resources is the river basin; the granting of right of use is considered an essential instrument for the management of water resources; the granting of the right implies the right to charge for their use. The Secretariat of Environment and Water Resources will grant the right to use water resources by categories through administrative order.