Law No. 3.239 creating for State Policy of Water Resources and the State System for Water Resources Management within the State of Rio de Janeiro.

This Law, consisting of 72 articles divided into four Titles, creates for State Policy of Water Resources and the State System for Water Resources Management within the State of Rio de Janeiro. The State Policy is based on the following principles: decentralization, with the participation of users, community and civil society; access to water as the right of all, if does not compromise aquatic ecosystems, aquifers and water availability and quality for human supply; in situations of scarcity, the priority use of water resources is for human consumption and animal watering. The State Policy for Water Resources aims to promote the harmonization between the multiple and competitive uses of water, in order to: guarantee to the present and future generations the necessary availability of natural resources, in quality standards appropriate to their respective uses; ensure the supply of the human population as a priority; promote prevention and protection against critical hydrological events of natural origin or resulting from the inappropriate use of natural resources; promote the articulation between Union, neighbouring states, municipalities, users and civil society; seek the recovery and preservation of aquatic ecosystems and the protection of their biodiversity.
The guidelines of the State Policy are: decentralization; systematic management of water resources and ecological characteristics of ecosystems; adaptation of water resources management to the diversities of the various regions of the State; integration and harmonization of water resources policy with environmental preservation and control, recovery of degraded areas; articulation of the use planning and preservation of the water resources; flood control, drainage and floodplains; protection of aquifer recharge areas, against pollution and over exploitation; control of mineral extraction; management of flooded areas; prevention of soil erosion; proper use of marginal lands in state rivers, lakes and lagoons; consideration as a continuity of the territorial management unit, its estuarine system and the nearby coastal zone; awareness of the need to preserve water resources, through environmental education actions, etc.