Law No. 1633 “On potable water supply and sewerage”.

This Law establishes legal, organizational, economic, social bases for supply of potable water and sewerage, as well as state guarantees for meeting the needs in potable water, sewerage, as well as their quality and safety.
The Law contains 7 Chapters divided into 28 Articles. Chapter 1 lays down general provisions. Chapter 2 regards state management in the field of potable water supply and sewerage. Chapter 3 classifies potable water supply and sewerage systems. Chapter 4 regards state regulation, financing and tariffs for potable water supply and sewerage. Chapter 5 regards state guarantees for ensuring potable water supply and sewerage. Chapter 6 establishes rights and duties in the field of potable water supply and sewerage. Chapter 7 lays down final provisions.
The objectives of this Law shall be as follows: (a) establishment of legal guarantees and satisfaction of needs of individuals and legal entities in potable water; (b) establishment of economic foundations of potable water supply; (c) establishment of state guarantees of sustainability of potable water supply and sewerage, as well as grounds for bringing to responsibility for violation of rules in the field of potable water supply and sewerage. The basic principles of potable water supply and sewerage shall be as follows: (a) human right to safe water and sanitation; (b) diversity of forms of ownership and management, including public-private partnerships; (c) demonopolization and decentralization of the management system; (d) consideration of the specifics of urban and rural potable water supply and sanitation; (e) economic unity of each potable water supply system and related sanitation system; (f) strategic vital importance of potable water supply and disposal systems; (g) state control and regulation of potable water supply and disposal; (h) accounting and reporting in potable water supply and disposal; and (i) payment for potable water supply and sewerage services. Potable water supply systems may be owned by the state (national and municipal bodies), as well as by individuals and legal entities. Transfer of ownership right or change of ownership form, granting the right to use in any form, not prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan, for a certain period of time or for an indefinite period of time of the state systems of potable water supply and sewerage systems shall be authorized provided that functioning of these systems will not be disturbed. Owners of potable water supply and sewerage systems may grant the right to use them in any form not prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan to natural and legal persons, local executive bodies of state power and local government of settlements and villages, as well as to water users' organizations serving these systems. Centralized potable water supply systems are the basis for ensuring uninterrupted supply of potable water to consumers and are considered to be vital structures. Non-centralized and autonomous potable water supply and sanitation systems are established to provide consumers with potable water and sanitation in the absence of centralized potable water supply and sanitation systems. The state control in the sphere of potable water supply and effluent wastewater discharge shall be provided by the authorized body of state supervision of public health and social protection of the population and the authorized state body in the field of environmental protection. Accounting of sources of potable water supply and places of effluent waste water discharge is provided by the authorized state body in the field of regulation of water resources use with participation of the state authorized body in the field of environmental protection (surface water), state authorized body in the field of subsoil use (groundwater) and authorized body of state supervision of public health and social protection.