Law No. 5.165 providing for State Policy of Water Resources and creating the State System for the Water Resources Management.

This Law, consisting of 72 articles divided into five Title, provides for State Policy of Water Resources and creating the State System for the Water Resources Management. The State Policy is based on the following principles: water is a public property, a limited natural resource endowed with economic value, and its use may be passive of collection; in situations of scarcity, the priority use of water resources is for human consumption and watering of animals; water resources management should always provide for the multiple use of water; hydrographic basin is the territorial unit for the implementation of the State Policy of Water Resources and performance of the State System of Management of Water resources; Water resources management must be decentralized and involve the participation of the Government, users and communities.
The objectives of the State Policy are: assure the current and future generations of the necessary water availability, in quality standards appropriate to their respective uses; promote the rational and integrated use of water resources, with a view to sustainable development; seek prevention and defense against critical hydrological events of natural origin or due to inappropriate use of natural resources. Guidelines for implementing the State Policy on Water Resources: systematic management of water resources; adequacy of the management of water resources to the physical, biotic, demographic, economic, social and cultural diversities of the different regions of the State; integration of water resources management with environmental management; articulation of water resources planning with the municipal, state, regional and national planning; articulation of the management of water resources with land use; integration of river basin management with estuarine and coastal zone management; development of programs for professional training in the field of water resources; execution and maintenance of educational campaigns aimed at raising society's awareness of the rational use of water resources; The State will liaise with the Union, neighboring states and municipalities, with a view to the management of water resources of common interest.