Environmental Management (Water Quality Standards) Regulations, 2007.

These Regulations, made by the Minister of State under sections 143, 144 and 230 of the Environmental Management Act, concern water pollution and water quality standards, provide with respect to compliance by polluters and enforce minimum water quality standards prescribed by the National Environmental Standards Committee. The Committee shall, among other things: (a) prescribe classifications, criteria and procedure for measuring standards for water quality for approval by the Minister; (b) establish the minimum quality standards for all waters of Tanzania for approval by the Minister; (c) establish minimum standards for the treatment of effluent before their final discharge into public sewer systems for approval by the Minister; (d) prescribe requirements for approval by the Minister for the operator of any effluent treatment plant or work or undertaking to undertake treatment of effluent and (e) establish minimum quality standards for different uses of water for approval by the Minister. Uses shall include- (i) drinking water; (ii) water for agricultural purposes; (iii) water for recreational purposes; (iv) water for fisheries and wildlife purposes; (v) water for industrial purposes; (vi) water for environment; and (vii) water for any other purposes; (viii) effluent from domestic, agricultural, trade or industrial origin.
The Regulations introduce various prohibitions and restrictions regarding discharge of pollutants into water. Every applicant for water right or permit under relevant laws governing management of water resources, abstraction and use of water shall within twenty one day of lodging their application, file through Basin Water Officer a statement to the Council indicating the likely impact on the environment if the water right or permit is granted. The Basin Water Officer shall after every two years from the date of coming into force of these Regulations, submit to the Council records of the holders of water rights showing specified information on consents, objections, precautions, etc. The Schedules set tolerance limits for, among other things, the fertilizer industry, the vegetable industry, and also standards for drinking water. The Council shall designate certain categories of human activities to be main water polluting activities for which prior grant of discharge permit by the National Environment Management Council shall be mandatory.