Law No. X-764 “On management of potable water supply and wastewater”.

This Law establishes the grounds for state regulation of potable water supply and wastewater management and regulates legal relations between water suppliers and subscribers (users). The purpose of this Law shall be to ensure the continuous functioning of the potable water supply and waste water management system, as well as development thereof meeting the needs of the society, allowing natural and legal persons, under acceptable conditions, to provide potable water of standard quality and to receive good quality wastewater treatment services. The provisions of this Law shall be applicable to all persons supplying cold potable water and providing wastewater treatment services. The objectives of state regulation of water supply and wastewater management shall be as follows: (a) to ensure that as many people as possible receive adequate potable water complying with public health requirements and to manage waste water according to environmental requirements; (b) to ensure that public water supply throughout the country is carried out in accordance with established requirements; (c) to increase the efficiency of the public water supply sector by ensuring continuous and long-term water supply and wastewater management throughout the country; (d) to establish a pricing regulatory system for potable water supply and wastewater management that would ensure optimum prices for subscribers (users) and the implementation of the polluter pays principle; and (e) to ensure the protection of legitimate interests of subscribers (users) and water suppliers and protection of consumer rights. The regulatory measures for the development of water supply and wastewater management services shall be as follows: (a) licensing of public water supply activities; (b) establishment of requirements for public water supply; (c) establishment of rules for the use and maintenance of water supply and wastewater management infrastructure; (d) determination of qualification requirements for the operators of water supply and wastewater management infrastructure; (e) administration of state financial support for the development of water supply and wastewater management infrastructure; (f) control of the safety and quality of the supplied drinking water and the management of waste water; (g) state regulation of prices of potable water supplied by public water suppliers and prices of waste water treatment services; and (h) establishment of standard conditions for public water supply contracts. Water supply and wastewater treatment shall be regulated in accordance with this and other laws by: (a) Government; (b) the Ministry of Environment; (c) the Ministry of Health; (d) the State Food and Veterinary Service under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; (e) the National Control Commission for Prices and Energy; (f) municipal institutions; and (g) National Consumer Rights Protection Council under the Ministry of Justice. This Law consists of VIII Sections divided into 27 Articles. Section I lays down general provisions. Section II establishes compliance of water supply and waste management with public needs requirements. Section III regards planning and organization of water supply and waste management. Section IV regards licensing of water suppliers and establishes qualification requirements thereof. Section V regards public water supply contracts. Section VI regards price setting. Section VII regards management of information related to potable water supply and waste water management. Section VIII regards dispute settlement and liability. A drinking water supplier, guaranteed water supplier, surface wastewater manager inspected by the State Energy Regulatory Council has the right to file a complaint to the administrative court of first instance in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.