Law No. VIII-474 on Water.

This Law regulates the use, management and protection of surface and groundwater bodies and the water contained in them within the territory of Lithuania. It establishes the legal framework governing ownership of water bodies, the rights and obligations of owners and users, and the conditions for the use and protection of water resources. The Law applies to persons who own, manage, use or protect water bodies and their water and applies to the marine environment in relation to the chemical status of territorial waters. It also provides that underground water bodies and inland waters of state importance are the exclusive property of the State.
The document lays down requirements for the use of water bodies and their water, including water abstraction, permits and registration of surface-water users, the management of rivers, lakes, ponds and artificial water bodies, navigation and recreational uses, hydrotechnical structures, and the construction and use of installations and structures in water bodies. It establishes conditions intended to prevent deterioration of water-body status and to achieve water-protection objectives.
The Law regulates the collection, treatment and discharge of wastewater and establishes cases in which permits are required for wastewater discharges. It contains provisions concerning monitoring of surface and groundwater bodies, accounting and reporting of water abstraction, water use, wastewater and pollutants, and the collection and management of information relating to water resources and water management.
The Law provides for the management of surface and groundwater bodies on the basis of river-basin districts. It contains provisions on river-basin management planning, monitoring and assessment of water-body status, water-protection objectives, public access to information and reporting to the European Commission. The Law also establishes rules relating to cost recovery for water services and the application of the polluter-pays principle.