9 Soviet Stat Dec 105

DATE DOWNLOADED: Tue Mar 5 03:23:37 2024
SOURCE: Content Downloaded from HeinOnline
Citations:
Please note: citations are provided as a general guideline. Users should consult their preferred
citation format's style manual for proper citation formatting.
Bluebook 21st ed.

Water Law, 9 SOVIET STAT. & DEC. 105 (1972).
ALWD 7th ed.

, Water Law, 9 Soviet Stat. & Dec. 105 (1972).
APA 7th ed.

(1972). Water law. Soviet Statutes and Decisions, 9(2), 105-192.
Chicago 17th ed.

"Water Law," Soviet Statutes and Decisions 9, no. 2 (Winter 1972-73): 105-192
McGill Guide 9th ed.

"Water Law" (1972) 9:2 Soviet Stat & Dec 105.
AGLC 4th ed.

'Water Law' (1972) 9(2) Soviet Statutes and Decisions 105
MLA 9th ed.

"Water Law." Soviet Statutes and Decisions, vol. 9, no. 2, Winter 1972-73, pp.
105-192. HeinOnline.
OSCOLA 4th ed.

'Water Law' (1972) 9 Soviet Stat & Dec 105 Please note: citations
are provided as a general guideline. Users should consult their preferred citation
format's style manual for proper citation formatting.
-- Your use of this HeinOnline PDF indicates your acceptance of HeinOnline's Terms and
Conditions of the license agreement available at
https://heinonline.org/HOL/License
-- The search text of this PDF is generated from uncorrected OCR text.
-- To obtain permission to use this article beyond the scope of your license, please use:
Copyright Information
C. Water Law
20. ON INTENSIFYING STATE CONTROL OVER THE

UTILIZATION OF SUBTERRANEAN WATER AND
MEASURES TO CONSERVE SUCH WATER
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, September 4,

1959, No. 1036
SP SSSR (1959), No. 17, item 135
For the purpose of intensifying state control over the utiliza-

tion of subterranean water and ensuring its conservation, the
Council of Ministers of the USSR decrees:
1. The following procedure shall be established for the drill-
ing of new operational wells for water and the reconstruction
of test wells to make operational wells, as well as a procedure
for the construction of water-intake structures, which shall be
binding on all enterprises and organizations irrespective of
their departmental subordination:
a) the drilling of new operational wells for water, the re-
construction of test wells to make operational wells, and the
construction or reconstruction of water-intake structures for
the utilization of subterranean water shall be undertaken only
with a permit from republic geology and mineral conservation
agencies or territory geological administrations and by agree-
ment with local agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate,
and when this work is carried out by mining and extractive
enterprises, also with industrial safety inspection and mine
inspection agencies.
The drilling of filter bores and the establishment of filter
wells for the discharge of industrial effluent and foul domestic
SOVIET STATUTES AND DECISIONS
sewage by enterprises shall be prohibited in all instances in

which these bores and wells may be sources of pollution of a
water-bearing level being used or intended for use for drinking
and domestic water supply.
The drilling of filter bores for these purposes may be per-
mitted in each individual instance by republic geology and min-
eral conservation agencies or by territory geological adminis-
trations where there is an opinion by the republic, territory,
or regional authority of the state sanitary inspectorate and on
condition that special investigations are carried out in the area
where these bores are sunk;
b) in designing and constructing new, or in reconstructing
existing water-intake structures, the regime for using these
structures, excluding the premature depletion of subterranean
water, shall be established by agreement with republic geology
and mineral conser vation agencies or territory geological ad-
ministrations and with industrial safety inspection and mine
inspection authorities;
c) in designing and constructing new, or in reconstructing
existing water-intake structures for the utilization of subter-
ranean water for drinking needs, the establishment of the ap-
propriate sanitary protection zones, as well as the implemen-
tation of other sanitary and health measures shall be agreed
with local agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate
2. To establish that state control over the utilization of sub-
terranean water and its protection from depletion and pollution
shall be carried out by republic geology and mineral conserva-
tion agencies.
The enterprises and organizations (including collective
farms) which use water-intake structures shall be directly re-
sponsible for the conservation of subterranean water, including
the observance of established regime for the use of such water,
as well as the regime of sanitary protection zones.
3. The Ministry of Geology and Mineral Conservation of the
USSR and the Ministry of Health of the USSR shall be charged
with the methodological direction of all work on the territory
of the USSR devoted to the study and utilization of subterranean
WINTER 1972-73
water and its protection from depletion and pollution, and with
the coordination of such work.
4. The following rights shall be granted to the Ministry of
Geology and Mineral Conservation of the USSR, the Ministry
of Health of the USSR, republic geology and mineral conserva-
tion agencies, public health agencies, and industrial safety in-
spection and mine inspection agencies:
a) where necessary to compel enterprises and organizations
to take samples, make static observations, water analyses,
and other investigations connected with the utilization and con-
servation of subterranean water;
b) to make investigations in areas of operational water-
intake structures, to demand essential information and expla-
nations from officials on matters connected with the conditions
of use and conservation for subterranean water;
c) to issue binding instructions to organizations and enter-
prises for implementation within the agreed periods of mea-
sures to protect subterranean water from premature depletion
or pollution and, if the instructions are not fulfilled, to sus-
pend the use of subterranean water by the organizations and
enterprises or to reduce the volume of such water used.
5. In 1959-1961 the councils of ministers of union republics
and ministries and departments of the USSR shall be obliged
to implement measures to put all existing water-intake struc-
tures into proper order, to fit valve systems to operational
wells which have struck self-pumped subterranean water, to
eliminate the wasteful use of subterranean water, and to pre-
vent its pollution by liquid waste from industrial and munici-
pal enterprises.
6. To establish that beginning in 1960, work to be carried
out by organizations and enterprises on drilling operational
wells and on constructing other water-intake structures and
filter wells shall be financed only where a permit for the work
has been issued in accordance with paragraph 1 of this decree.
7. To charge that the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Con-
servation of the USSR and the Ministry of Health of the USSR
shall jointly work out, and by agreement with the USSR State
Planning Commission and union republic councils of ministers

shall confirm, a statute concerning the procedure for utiliza-
tion and conservation of subterranean water on the territory
of the USSR.
Editor's Note
Note that this decree has been supplemented by paragraph 11

of item 21 infra.
21. ON MEASURES TO REGULATE THE UTILIZATION

AND INTENSIFY THE CONSERVATION OF WATER
RESOURCES IN THE USSR
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, April 22, 1960,

No. 425
SP SSSR (1960), No. 9, item 67
[Excerpt]
The prospect of broad development of the national economy,

further technical progress, and the organization of new forms
of production outlined by the Twenty- First Congress of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the June (1959) Ple-
num of the Central Committee of the CPSU are linked with a
sharp increase in the demand for water and in the discharge
of effluent, necessitating increased attention to these questions.
With a view to regulating the integrated utilization and con-
servation of the country's water resources, and also to elimi-
nating the pollution of waters as quickly as possible, the Council
of Ministers of the USSR decrees:
1. The councils of ministers of union republics shall be
made responsible for the planned utilization of surface and sub-
terranean water on the territory of the union republic con-
cerned; for protecting it from depletion, obstruction, and
WINTER 1972-73
pollution by industrial, domestic, and other liquid wastes and

effluents (drainage, spent waters); and also for implementing
measures to combat the harmful effects of water (flooding,
waterlogging, washouts, soil erosion by water, etc.).
2. The councils of ministers of union republics shall be
charged with organizing special agencies of union republic
councils of ministers for the utilization and conservation of
surface and subterranean water resources, with inspectorates
for the basins of the principal rivers (or waters) on the terri-
tory of the republic.
In particular, the agencies of union republic councils of min-
isters for the utilization and conservation of water resources
shall be charged with:
f) state supervision of the recording and efficient utilization

by enterprises of water resources, and of the implementation
by these enterprises of measures to protect waters from pollu-
tion, obstruction, and depletion.
Agencies of union republic councils of ministers for the uti-
lization and conservation of water resources shall have the
right to suspend the operation of enterprises if they have not
carried out the decrees of the government concerning mea-
sures to ensure the purification and treatment of liquid waste
within the time specified;
g) issuing opinions having binding force on designs for the
construction of new enterprises and the conversion of operating
enterprises connected with the utilization of water resources,
their conservation, and the campaign against the harmful ef-
fects of water;
h) registration and certification of the principal hydraulic
engineering structures and devices connected with the utiliza-
tion and conservation of water resources and the campaign
against the harmful effects of water;
i) preparation of interrepublic agreements on the utilization
and conservation of surface and subterranean water resources
used jointly.
To establish that supervision over the proper state of waters
and the working out of measures for the conservation of water

sources shall be exercised by agencies of union republic coun-
cils of ministers for the utilization and conservation of water
resources, with the participation of sanitary, navigation, and
fisheries inspectorates and municipal and agricultural agencies
(by affiliation), and having regard to the priority utilization of
water for drinking and domestic needs of the population.
3. The acceptance and commencement of temporary or per-
manent operation of enterprises, workshops, and production
units which discharge liquid waste shall be prohibited unless
measures have been fulfilled to purify and treat this water.
These enterprises, workshops, and production units shall be
permitted to start work only with the permission of the State
Sanitary Inspectorate.
To establish that bonuses shall be awarded to managerial
workers in construction organizations for bringing into opera-
tion on schedule or ahead of schedule construction units (enter-
prises, workshops, and other structures) which discharge liq-
uid waste, on condition that the principal waste treatment and
purification units and structures are brought into operation at
the same time.
4. Union republic councils of ministers, ministries and de-
partments of the USSR, and councils of the national economy shall:
a) provide for the allocation of capital investment, materials,
and technical resources specifically designated for implement-
ing measures for the efficient utilization of water resources
and for eliminating the pollution of waters, having made a reg-
ister of all industrial enterprises and other units which pollute
water sources, in plans beginning from 1961;
b) verify within 2 months the condition of waste purification
and treatment systems at operating enterprises and fix the
times in the period 1960-1963 for putting these systems into
good order, ensuring their efficient utilization. At the same
time, systematic laboratory control over purification and
treatment plant operation shall be organized;
c) not permit any increase at operating enterprises in the
amount of liquid waste and effluent or any deterioration in its
WINTER 1972-73
quality unless all necessary steps have first been taken to

purify and treat the liquid waste and other effluent;
d) prohibit the cutting of timber above planned levels in
mountain forests which are of importance in water retention,
and also ensure the restoration of vegetation, and above all of
forest, as the most effective means of combating soil erosion;
e) ensure within 3 years that all water conservancy units
have been put into good order, regularly carry out dredging,
watercourse improvement, and other essential works, and also
clear alluvial deposits from rivers, canals, ponds, reservoirs,
and other waters.
10. The Ministry of Geology and Mineral Conservation of the

USSR shall be obliged to:
b) coordinate the annual and long-term plans for further

prospecting for subterranean water on the territory of the re-
public, and also the plan for the organization of subterranean
water surveys with the agencies of union republic councils of
ministers for the utilization and conservation of water re-
sources.
11. Supplemental to the decree of the Council of Ministers
of the USSR of September 4, 1959, No. 1036, to establish that
the drilling of new wells for water, the reconstruction of test
wells for water, the reconstruction of test wells to make oper-
ational wells, and the construction or reequipping of water-
intake structures for the utilization of subterranean water shall
also be carried out by agreement with agencies of union repub-
lic councils of ministers for the utilization and conservation
of water resources, whose opinions on the provision of subter-
ranean water to the population and its distribution among indi-
vidual branches of the national economy shall be binding.
12. To establish that all-union standards of purity for sur-
face and subterranean water to be used for domestic, drinking,
and amenity needs shall be confirmed by the Ministry of Health
of the USSR; purity and operating standards for fishery waters,
by the State Fishery Waters Administration attached to the
RSFSR Council of Ministers; and purity standards and regime

for waters to be used for the needs of agriculture and livestock
raising by the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR, by agree-
ment with the State Planning Commission of the USSR.
22. RULES FOR THE PROTECTION OF SURFACE WATER

FROM POLLUTION BY LIQUID WASTE
Confirmed July 15, 1961, by the Ministry of Healthof the USSR

as charged by the Council of Ministers of the USSR and as agreed
to by the State Planning Commission of the USSR, No. 372-61
Blinov, p. 302
I. Basic Provisions
1. The purpose of the present rules is to prevent pollution

and to efiminate the existing pollution by liquid waste of wa-
ters: rivers, streams, reservoirs, lakes, ponds, and artificial
channels used for the supply of domestic and drinking water
and for the social amenities of the population, and also for
commercial fishing.
Notes: 1) The basic provisions and requirements for the
protection of subterranean waters have been regulated by
the "Statute on the Procedure for Utilization and Conserva-
tion of Subterranean Water on the Territory of the USSR "
confirmed as charged by the Council of Ministers of the
USSR, by the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Conservation
of the USSR, and by the Ministry of Health of the USSR;
2) As special requirements for the protection of water to
be used for the purposes of agriculture, industry, and other
branches of the economy are worked out and presented to
the Ministry of Health of the USSR, they may be taken into
account and the rules supplemented by appropriate sections;
3) Requirements for the protection of the coastal belt of
the sea shall be governed by special rules.
2. Surface water (a river or other water) shall be considered
WINTER 1972-73
to be polluted if its composition or properties have been al-

tered directly or indirectly by the influence of industrial ac-
tivity or living conditions of the population, and as a result
thereof it has become unsuitable for one or several forms of
water use.
3. The degree of suitability in composition and properties
of surface water to be used for the supply of domestic and
drinking water, for the social amenities of the population, as
well as for commercial fishing purposes, shall be determined
by its conformity to the requirements and standards set out in
the rules.
4. Where a water or part thereof is used simultaneously for
various needs of the national economy, the conditions for the
discharge of liquid waste should be based on the more rigid
requirements in the range of applicable standards of surface
water quality (or purity).
5. It shall be forbidden to permit seepage from product dis-
tribution pipelines and from all forms of water transport to
enter waters.
6. It shall be forbidden to discharge liquid waste containing
stable substances not subject to biochemical, chemical, or
physical self-purification processes, or radioactive substances,
into nonflowing lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.
7. It shall be forbidden to discharge into waters:
a) liquid wastes which, with the observance of technical and
economic conditions, can be eliminated by efficient technology,
maximum utilization in a recirculating water-supply system,
and utilization on irrigated fields if the necessary sanitary re-
quirements and others are observed;
b) liquid wastes containing valuable products which can be
reclaimed at the enterprise concerned or at others interested
in these products;
c) liquid wastes containing raw materials, reagents, and
intermediate and finished products in amounts in excess of the
permitted losses for the appropriate type of production estab-
lished by the governing organization (ministry or council of
national economy of an economic administrative district).
8. Where it is necessary to drain off liquid wastes because

the measures set out in paragraph 7 prove insufficient or are
impossible to fulfill for well-founded technical or economic
reasons, the discharge of the liquid waste into waters may be
authorized only on condition that the requirements and stan-
dards set out in these rules are observed.
9. The requirements as to the conditions for liquid waste
discharge into waters set out in the rules shall extend to:
a) existing discharges of all forms of industrial effluent and
domestic sewage from centers of population, isolated dwellings,
and public buildings; from municipal, general health, transport,
and collective and state farm units; and from the industrial
enterprises, including the liquid wastes from mines, water-
cooling, hydraulic ash removal, petroleum production, hydrau-
lic removal of overburden, and other liquid wastes of any units,
irrespective of their departmental affiliation;
b) all planned discharges of waste from newly built enter-
prises, enterprises being converted or expanded, and those
where production technology is being changed, and all planned
discharges of waste from centers of population and isolated
units irrespective of their departmental affiliation.
Note: The rules shall also extend to discharges of storm
water if domestic sewage and industrial effluent enter it.
10. The conditions for the discharge of liquid waste into
waters shall be determined with regard to the degree of pos-
sible mixing with water and dilution of the waste on its way
from the point of discharge to the line of the nearest point of
use for drinking, social amenity, and fishery purposes.
It shall be permissible to take account of natural purifica-
tion processes whereby the water neutralizes pollutants which
enter it, if the natural purification process is clearly apparent
and the laws of its development in time have been sufficiently
studied.
11. In considering the conditions for liquid waste discharge
into waters and in giving opinions on such [conditions] , water
resources utilization and conservation agencies shall, having
regard to the long-term development of each individual water,
WINTER 1972-73
fix the amount (or limit) of harmful substances which it is per-

missible to discharge with the waste into the water; [the limit
shall be] calculated in accordance with the requirements of
these rules as to the composition and properties of water in
waters used for drinking, social amenities, and fisheries.
12. An opinion on the conditions for the discharge of liquid
waste into waters shall retain force for 3 years, after which
it shall be subject to renewal.
13. Where there is alteration of the conditions of water use
on a water, [for example] when new enterprises are built, in-
creased amounts of water are taken without replacement for
irrigation or water supply, or new points of water use for
drinking and social amenity purposes and other water use con-
ditions arise, the water resources utilization and conser vation
agencies shall have the right to annul their opinion on condi-
tions for liquid waste discharge, to alter previously agreed re-
quirements about conditions for liquid waste discharge for a
given unit in conformity with the new situation, and to deter-
mine the period during which the unit director must implement
the appropriate measures.
II. Water Quality Standards for Waters

Used for Drinking and Social Amenities
14. Water quality standards for waters which must be main-

tained when liquid waste is discharged into the waters in order
to exclude possible restriction or disturbance of normal condi-
tions of water use for drinking and social amenities shall be
established in conformity with the particular types of water
use at the locations of the water use points nearest to the liq-
uid waste outfall.
15. A distinction should be made between two types of water
use:
to the first type shall be relegated a water used as a source
of centralized or noncentralized drinking-water supply or for
the supply of water to enterprises of the food industry;
to the second type, a water used by the population for bathing,
sport, and leisure activities, as well as water within the limits

of a center of population.
16. The points of water use of the first and second type
which are nearest to the liquid waste outfall shall be estab-
lished by agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate, who shall
be obliged to take account of official data on the long-term use
of the water for drinking water and social amenity needs of
the population.
17. Water composition and properties must be in accordance
with the standards on a line one kilometer above the nearest
water use point on the stream (water intake for domestic and
drinking water supply, place for bathing or organized leisure,
territory of population center, and the like) in the case of flow-
ing waters, and one kilometer on either side of the water use
point in the case of nonflowing waters and reservoirs.
18. The composition and properties of the water at points of
use for drinking and social amenity purposes must in no case
exceed the standards set out in appendixes 1 and 2. (The ap-
pendixes to these rules are not reproduced - Ed.)
III. Water Quality Standards for Waters

Used for Commercial Fishing
19. Quality standards for water which exclude the possibility

of disturbance in the normal conditions of water use for com-
mercial fishing shall be established in conformity with the par-
ticular type of use.
To the first type of use shall be relegated waters used for
the regeneration and preservation of valuable species of fish.
To the second type shall be relegated waters used for all
other commercial fishing purposes.
20. The type of fishery use shall be determined for a water
by state fishery protection agencies having regard to the future
development of commercial fishing and fisheries.
21. The water composition and properties standards for wa-
ters used for commercial fishing may, depending on local con-
ditions, relate either to the liquid waste outfall region, with
WINTER 1972-73
implementation of measures to ensure the quickest possible

mixing of waste and water, or to a region below the waste out-
fall, having regard to the possible degree of mixing and dilution
of the waste from the outfall points to the nearest boundary of
the commercial fishing area.
22. Discharge of liquid waste shall not be permitted in areas
of large-scale fish spawning or feeding migration. Fishery
protection agencies shall establish whether waste discharge
can be arranged near these areas and shall set the conditions
for the mixing of waste and water in each particular case.
23. The composition and properties of the water in waters
used for commercial fishing must in no case exceed the stan-
dards set out in appendixes 3 and 4.
IV. Protection of Waters from Pollution

by Radioactive Substances
24. Provision must be made in the drainage and sewage

systems of reactors, laboratories, institutions, and enter-
prises which work with radioactive substances for the decon-
tamination of liquid waste and, where possible, for its reuse
for technical purposes.
25. The discharge into sewage systems and waters of pulps,
sediments, and concentrated still residues formed as a result
of treating liquid radioactive waste or of highly active liquids
shall be prohibited.
26. The discharge of liquid waste containing radioactive
substances into the domestic sewage system shall be regulated
by the sanitary rules for work with radioactive substances and
sources of ionizing radiation.
27. When liquid waste is discharged directly into waters, its
radioactive content must not exceed the maximum permitted
concentrations set for open waters, given in appendix 5.
28. The discharge of liquid waste containing radioactive
substances into ponds designated for the rearing of fish and
waterfowl, or into streams and other waters which might flow
into such ponds, shall be prohibited.
V. Technical Conditions for the Discharge

of Liquid Waste into Waters
29. A design for a sewage system or the purification, treat-

ment, or disinfection of liquid waste must take account of quan-
tity of liquid waste and its composition, the sanitary state of
the water in the region of the unit to be provided with a sewage
system, the sanitary situation above and below the point at
which the liquid waste from this unit will be discharged, and
the use of the water for the supply of drinking and domestic
water and for the social amenities of the population or for com-
mercial fishing, both at the present time and in the long term
officially accepted in planning projects and in long-term plans
for the development of the national economy.
30. The possibility and expediency of [the following mea-
sures] must be considered in deciding the question of a sew-
age system and purification and treatment of liquid waste from
an industrial enterprise, depending on actual local conditions:
a) a joint sewage system and treatment of industrial effluent
and domestic sewage from an enterprise, a city, or a workers'
settlement;
b) joint purification and treatment of liquid waste from an
enterprise with a sewage system and of liquid waste from other
enterprises of the given district;
c) independent discharge and purification of industrial efflu-
ent from individual enterprises or workshops if this facilitates
the implementation of a recirculating water supply system, the
reuse of valuable substances from the effluent, or its purifica-
tion and treatment.
Note: The possibility and expediency of designing and
setting up a combined sewage system shall be decided in
each particular instance, having regard to the possibility
of accepting the industrial effluent.
31. When industrial effluent is discharged into the municipal
sewage system, the conditions of discharge of the total outflow
into a water must satisfy the present rules.
32. When biological methods are used in the joint purification
WINTER 1972-73
of domestic sewage and industrial effluent, the content of bac-

tericidal and other substances in the total outflow must not
interfere with this process of purification and must correspond
to the requirements provided by the standards and technical
conditions for the design of sewage systems for centers of
population.
33. It is essential to provide neutralizers or special con-
tainers to maintain an even discharge of waste into the sewage
system and the water in those instances when the industrial
effluent may alter sharply in composition and quality in the
course of 24 hours, or where there are periodic (or sustained)
discharges of highly concentrated effluent.
The discharge into the sewage system of liquid and solid
products and production wastes without fulfilling the appropri-
ate measures for their reuse shall be prohibited.
34. Special containers must be provided to receive dis-
charges of raw materials and products in emergencies, as
well as during the repair and inspection of apparatus, without
discharges into the sewage system.
35. As a rule, the outfall of liquid waste into waters must
be such that the fullest possible mixing of water and waste is
achieved at the point of discharge of the waste.
Note: In special instances, when the aggregate of hydro-
logical and water use conditions does not require the
maximum possible mixing at the point of outfall, the out-
fall design must ensure that the line of flow of the waste
follows the prescribed direction (close to the bank or
sent in the prescribed direction).
36. The waste outfall must be situated downstream from the
boundary of the center of population and all points of water use,
having regard to the possibility of reverse flow due to driving
winds.
Note: "Stream" in a reservoir or lake should be taken to
mean the prevailing direction in which the mass of water
moves.
37. Devices for sampling, recording the liquid waste intake
and reagent feed, etc., must be provided in the system which
takes the liquid waste to the installations which purify and

treat it and regulate its discharge into a water. Where neces-
sary, appropriate automatic devices must be maintained for
constant control of the composition and properties of the liquid
waste (radioactivity, active reaction, etc.).
38. When making the calculations on which the necessary
degree of purification, treatment, and disinfection of liquid
waste in accordance with the requirements of these rules is
based, data (experimental or calculated) on the least favorable
conditions for the mixing of waste with water at the datum (or
control) point of water use and the dilution ratio which corre-
sponds to these conditions must be used.
39. Having regard to the requirements of paragraph 33, the
following shall be used for guidance in determining the dilution
ratio of liquid waste in a water at the datum (or control) point
of water use:
1) the calculations shall be based on the mean hourly water
flow rates and the mean hourly flow rates in an actual period
of liquid waste discharge;
2) the following hydrological conditions should be considered
for the calculations:
a) for unregulated rivers, the minimum average monthly
flow of water in the year (95 percent guaranteed, according to
the data of hydrometeorological service agencies);
b) for regulated rivers, the established guaranteed flow (or
sanitary release) below the dam;
c) for reservoirs and lakes, the least favorable regime,
which is determined by comparing calculations for wind effects
and conditions of reservoir operation and filling when open and
when covered with ice.
40. The necessary reduction in the pollutant content of liquid
wastes being piped off to bring the quantity of pollutants into ac-
cord with the requirements as to water composition and proper-
ties at the datum (or control) point of water use may be made
by any method of liquid waste purification, treatment, and dis-
infection which has been proved in practice.
Note: In working out methods for the purification,
WINTER 1972-73
treatment, and disinfection of liquid waste from new types

of production or new methods of purification, treatment,
and disinfection for liquid waste from existing production,
the construction of pilot installations shall be permitted,
it being obligatory to make subsequent corrections and
additions which are shown to be necessary in the initial
operating period.
41. When the flow of water in a river into which liquid waste
from a unit is to be discharged falls temporarily to zero, the
liquid waste may, if its discharge has been proved to be neces-
sary, be discharged by way of a storage tank of sufficient ca-
pacity to hold the liquid waste from the unit throughout the
period of zero outflow; for the rest of the time, the storage
tank shall be emptied evenly or in proportion to the flow in the
river, observing all the requirements and standards of the
present rules. The maximum possible period of zero outflow
must be confirmed by hydrometeorological service agencies.
Note: To ensure that liquid waste is discharged in pro-
portion to water flow, a gauging station must be set up by
the economic organization concerned at the point of waste
outfall.
42. In all other instances, with the exception of that indi-
cated in paragraph 41, the discharge of liquid waste by way of
a storage tank which is emptied in proportion to river flow
during the period of high water or throughout the year must
be specially agreed.
VI. Procedure for Agreement of Conditions for the

Discharge of Liquid Waste into Waters
43. The conditions for the discharge of liquid waste from:

a) operating units;
b) newly designed and converted units;
c) enterprises where an enlargement of capacity or a
change in production technology entails changes in the
composition and quantity of liquid waste
shall be subject to an obligatory agreement with water
utilization and conservation agencies.

44. Agreement on conditions for the discharge of liquid
waste into a water must be made:
a) in advance, during the selection and allocation of the site
for a new unit and in considering problems of conversion (or
expansion) of an enterprise or changes in production technology;
b) finally, during consideration of a design planning task for
a sewage system or purification and treatment for liquid waste
of a new unit or an enterprise which is being converted (or ex-
panded), and also during consideration of the question of the
conformity of liquid waste discharge conditions for any opera-
tional unit.
45. In the first stage the [ following] materials shall be sub-
ject to submission for agreement:
a) material describing the unit, its productive capacity, the
amount and composition of the liquid waste subject to discharge
into the water, the positioning of the outfall, the extent to which
the composition and properties of the liquid waste have been
studied and how damaging the specific pollutants are which it
contains, whether there are effective methods for the purifica-
tion, treatment, and disinfection of the liquid waste, whether
there are known methods for the reuse and extraction and utili-
zation of various substances from the liquid waste, and whether
special investigations are necessary as a basis for the design
planning task;
b) material describing the sanitary state of the water, its
hydrological regime, whether there are outfalls above the pro-
posed liquid waste outfall for the unit in question; the composi-
tion and properties of the water in this area; whether there are
outfalls between the proposed outfall and the nearest water use
points; the nearest points of water use for drinking, social
amenity, and fishery purposes which may be threatened first
by the discharge of liquid waste (datum or control points);
and the long-term conditions for the utilization of the water
(the possibility of changes in the hydrological regime, the ap-
pearance of new water users), as confirmed by official data.
Note: Where necessary, the agreeing agency shall have
WINTER 1972-73
the right to demand the submission of supplementary ma-

terial in conformity with the special features of the unit,
the waste, and local conditions.
46. In the second stage, i.e., when agreeing the design plan-
ning task or while considering the question of the conformity
of liquid waste discharge conditions for an operational unit,
there shall be subject to submission:
a) materials specifying the unit technology and other condi-
tions necessitating the discharge of liquid waste into the water,
the amount of liquid waste, its composition, and the regime for
its discharge; the hydrological, sanitary, and fishery character-
istics of the water; and the datum (or control) points of water
use;
b) calculations specifying the degree of liquid waste treat-
ment required so that its discharge does not give rise to a vio-
lation of water use at the datum (or control) points, i.e., so
that the changes in the composition and properties of the water
at these points do not exceed the standards set out in the pres-
ent rules;
c) the scheme, type, and productivity of purification installa-
tions and the principal rating characteristics and anticipated
technical efficiency of designated (or converted, expanded) and
operational installations for the purification, treatment, and
disinfection of liquid waste;
d) other local conditions which have become apparent during
design work and operation or which have been made more pre-
cise in the design planning task or in the process of operation.
47. When coordinating the design planning task, verifica-
tions shall be made to ensure that all the demands and condi-
tions submitted to the agreeing agencies at the stage of selec-
tion and allocation of the site in the preliminary agreement
have been fulfilled.
48. Deviations from the preliminary agreed conditions due
to unforeseen circumstances while working out the design plan-
ning task must be justified in detail and specially noted in the
design planning task submitted for agreement.
49) There shall be subject to agreement with water
resources utilization and conservation agencies:

a) all work to be done on the waters themselves, involving
bucket-dredging, deepening and clearing the bed, underwater
trenching, installing sag pipes for product-distribution pipe-
lines, preparation of hydraulic engineering installations for
start-up and the passage of water through them, extraction of
useful materials and substances, dredge operation, and the es-
tablishment of tail reservoirs;
b) the siting of shore installations to receive polluted water
from vessels used for water transport;
c) the types of vessels intended to be used to collect liquid
waste from water transport units and the systems to prevent
seepage from product-distribution pipelines and from all types
of water transport.
VII. Procedure for Control
50. The director of the unit which discharges liquid waste

into the water must maintain constant observation of the opera-
tion of purification and treatment installations by:
a) analyses of the waste liquid before and after the whole
complex of installations designated to purify and treat it;
b) analyses of the waste liquid before and after the individ-
ual links in the installations (neutralizers, settling tanks,
traps, biological purification units, and the like);
c) measurements of the amount of liquid waste being car-
ried off at the most vital points in the network and at the outfall.
51. The control procedure to be implemented by the eco-
nomic organization (frequency and volume of analysis, etc.)
shall be agreed with water resources utilization and conserva-
tion agencies in accordance with the local conditions on the
water, the degree of harmfulness of the liquid waste, the type
of installation, and the special features of the liquid waste
treatment methods.
52. State control to ensure that the conditions for liquid
waste discharge from a unit conform to the requirements and
standards provided by these rules shall be exercised by water
WINTER 1972-73
resources utilization and conservation agencies, with the direct

participation of agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate and
the Fishery Protection Service in the process of selecting and
allocating the site for construction, designing sewage systems
and installations for the treatment of liquid waste, and bring-
ing enterprises and liquid waste treatment installations into
use, and during their constant operation.
Where necessary, other organizations and departments con-
cerned shall be involved in the examination of conditions for
the discharge of liquid waste.
VIII. Responsibility for Fulfillment of the Rules
53. As with the making of the necessary analyses, all inves-

tigations, special studies, and observations, as well as the
technical justification of the necessity for discharging liquid
waste and its treatment, shall be carried out with the produc-
tive forces and resources of the economic organization for
which the design work or conversion is being done, or by the
appropriate research and design institutions on its behalf.
54. Economic organizations confirming new construction
designs for any units, or their expansion (or conversion), shall
be obliged to verify that agreement has been reached on the
conditions for the discharge of liquid waste into waters and
shall ensure that the necessary measures are taken for the
fulfillment of the requirements of the present rules.
55. The directors of operational units shall, by agreement with
water resources utilization and conservation agencies, be ob-
liged to establish specific periods for the fulfillment of measures
ensuring that all the requirements of these rules are fulfilled.
56. The responsibility for the fulfillment of the present rules by
each enterprise or unit shall rest with the director of the enter-
prise or unit, or with the technical staff acting on his behalf.
Editor's Note
The relegation of waters to the category of fishing waters is

done pursuant to union legislation.
126 SOVIET STATUTES AND DECISIONS
23. RULES FOR THE SANITARY PROTECTION OF COASTAL

AREAS OF SEAS
Confirmed by the Main Sanitary and Epidemiological Adminis-

tration of the Ministry of Health of the USSR, July 16, 1964,
No. 483-64
Blinov, p. 311
[Excerpt]
2. The rules shall extend to coastal areas of seas (water

use areas allocated for bathing, water sport, and leisure, with
beaches and water-sport centers) within the bounds of centers
of population, suburbs, health resorts, sanatoria, rest homes,
and tourist and other centers.
Note: The rules shall not extend to areas of the sea used
for purposes of commercial fishing. The conditions for
the discharge of liquid waste into coastal waters shall be
agreed in each particular instance with the fishery pro-
tection agencies.
24. ON MEASURES FOR THE PRESERVATION AND

EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF THE NATURAL
COMPLEXES IN THE LAKE BAIKAL BASIN
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, January 21,

1969, No. 52
SP SSSR (1969), No. 3, item 20
[ Excerpt]
Attaching particular importance to the preservation and ef-

ficient utilization of the natural complexes in the Lake Baikal
Basin, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decrees:
WINTER 1972-73
1. A water conservation zone shall be established for Lake

Baikal, within the bounds of its catchment area (within the
territory of the USSR), with a special regime for the use of
natural resources in this zone.
2. The State Committee of the USSR Council of Ministers
for Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR, and the
RSFSR Council of Ministers shall:
a) complete forest organization measures in all forests in
the State Forest Fund, including collective farm and state farm
forests, on the territory of the Lake Baikal Basin, with a de-
gree of accuracy not less than category 3, and in 1969-1971
shall work out and confirm projects for the organization and
development of forestry and new felling rules in accordance
with the special regime for the use of the resources in this
basin; the projects shall provide for essential measures to en-
sure the preservation of forested areas and the regeneration
and efficient utilization of forest resources to increase sig-
nificantly the role of the forests in water retention and soil
protection;
c) intensify the control of forest management and ensure

the efficient utilization of felling areas, preservation of under-
growth and the restoration of forest in felled areas by all enter-
prises and organizations carrying out timber procurement or
other work in forests in the territory of the Lake Baikal Basin.
4. To establish that the timber-cutting conditions provided

for heavily forested districts, which provide that the confirmed
rate of dispatch of timber shall be retained by sources of tim-
ber supply for the whole opening-up period, as well as require
that felling areas shall be allocated in places where timber
procurement enterprises of the Ministry for the Lumber and
Woodworking Industry of the USSR are operating in amounts
sufficient to ensure the fulfillment of the established commer-
cial timber production plan in terms of. timber grades, shall
not extend to the forests of the Lake Baikal Basin.
The State Committee of the USSR Council of Ministers for
Forestry and the RSFSR Council of Ministers shall ensure the

allocation to timber procurement enterprises at their sites of
operation in the Lake Baikal Basin of felling areas in strict
accordance with the new rules for the cutting of timber on the
said territory.
7. In order not to permit the pollution of Lake Baikal, the

Ministry of the Cellulose- Paper Industry of the USSR shall:
a) complete the construction at the Baikal cellulose plant
in 1969 of a complex of purification installations and shops for
the recovery of waste products to ensure that the purification
of liquid waste is raised to the standards provided by the con-
struction plan for this plant;
8. The RSFSR Council of Ministers and ministries and de-

partments whose enterprises and units are situated on the ter-
ritory of the Lake Baikal Basin shall:
a) take measures to prevent the discharge into Lake Baikal
or its tributaries of unpurified industrial effluent or domestic
waste, ensuring the construction of the appropriate purification
and other water conservation installations in 1969-1970.
b) strictly be guided by paragraph 3 of the Decree of the
Council of Ministers of the USSR of April 22, 1960, No. 425,
concerning the prohibition of the acceptance and commence-
ment of temporary or permanent operation of enterprises,
workshops, and production units which discharge liquid waste
unless measures have been taken to purify and treat this waste.
The heads of the said ministries and departments shall be
warned about their personal liability for the timely implemen-
tation of measures to prevent the pollution of Lake Baikal and
for the efficient utilization of the natural resources of its basin.
9. The RSFSR Council of Ministers shall not permit the al-
location of land plots on the territory of the Lake Baikal Basin
for the construction of enterprises or other units if this might
lead to a violation of the established regime for the conserva-
tion and utilization of the basin's natural resources.
The further expansion of water-consuming enterprises
WINTER 1972-73
operating or under construction on the territory of the Lake

Baikal Basin shall be prohibited where it is impossible to pre-
vent the pollution of the waters of Lake Baikal or the natural
environment of its basin by liquid waste and by products dis-
charged into the atmosphere.
11. The Ministry of Soil and Water Conservation of the USSR

and the RSFSR Council of Ministers shall ensure systematic
control over the fulfillment by enterprises and organizations
of measures to prevent the pollution of Lake Baikal and its
tributaries.
The Chief Administration of the Hydrometeorological Ser-
vice attached to the USSR Council of Ministers shall intensify
control over the state of the water in Lake Baikal and of the
state of effluent from the Baikal cellulose plant, and shall study
its effect on the composition of Lake Baikal water.
The Ministry of Health of the USSR shall intensify control
over the sanitary condition of waters and of the quality of the
water used to supply the population in the Lake Baikal Basin.
12. The Committee for People's Control of the USSR shall
organize systematic control over the fulfillment by ministries
and departments of measures provided by this decree, bringing
to strict responsibility persons at fault in the violation of the
established procedure for the conservation, utilization, and
regeneration of the natural complexes of the Lake Baikal Basin,
or who damage the national economy.
25. WATER CODE OF THE RSFSR
Adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, June 30, 1972

Vedomosti RSFSR (1972), No. 27, item 692
Water, like the other natural wealth of our country, was

nationalized and became the property of the people as a result
of the victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution.
State ownership of water forms the basis of water relationships
in the USSR (which includes the Russian Soviet Federated So-

cialist Republic on the basis of voluntary union and equality
with the other union republics), creates favorable conditions
for the effectuation of planned and integrated use of water to
the best advantage of the national economy, and provides opti-
mum conditions for the labor, life, leisure, and health of the
Soviet people.
The development of social production and urban development
and the growth of the material well-being and cultural level of
the population increase the all-round demand for water and the
importance of efficient use and conservation of water.
Soviet water legislation has been called upon to promote ac-
tively the most efficient and scientifically well-founded utiliza-
tion of water and to protect it from pollution, obstruction, and
depletion.
PART I: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Chapter I: Basic Provisions
Article 1. Tasks of the Water Code of the RSFSR. The

tasks of the Water Code of the Russian Soviet Federated So-
cialist Republic shall be to regulate water relationships with
a view to ensuring the efficient utilization of water for the
needs of the population and the national economy; to protect
water from pollution, obstruction, and depletion; to prevent
and eliminate the harmful effects of water; to improve the
state of water installations; and also to protect the rights of
enterprises, organizations, institutions, and citizens, and to
strengthen legality in the domain of water relationships.
Article 2. The water legislation of the USSR and RSFSR.
Water relationships in the RSFSR shall be regulated by the
Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation of the USSR and
the Union Republics and by other acts of water legislation of
the USSR promulgated in accordance therewith, by the Water
Code of the RSFSR, and by other acts of water legislation of
the RSFSR.
WINTER 1972-73
In accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water

Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics, the present
code shall regulate water relationships on the questions for
which provision is made in the Fundiunental Principles, and
also on other questions, unless they are relegated to the juris-
diction of the USSR.
Land, forestry, and mining relationships in the RSFSR shall
be regulated by the appropriate USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Article 3. State ownership of water. In accordance with the
Constitution of the USSR and the Constitution of the RSFSR,
water shall be the property of the state, that is to say, the
property of the whole people.
Water shall be in the exclusive ownership of the state and shall
be granted only for use: Actions which directly or covertly in-
fringe the right of state ownership of water shall be prohibited.
Article 4. Unified State Water Fund. In accordance with the
Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation of the USSR and
the Union Republics, all waters (or water installations) in the
RSFSR shall be included in a unified State Water Fund.
The unified State Water Fund shall include:
1) rivers, lakes, reservoirs, other surface bodies of water
and water sources, and the water of canals and ponds;
2) subterranean waters and glaciers;
3) internal seas and other internal sea waters of the USSR;
4) territorial waters (or territorial sea) of the USSR.
Article 5. Powers of the USSR in the domain of water rela-
tionships. In accordance with the Fundamental Principles of
Water Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics, the
following shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the USSR in
the domain of regulating water relationships:
1) disposal of the unified State Water Fund within the limits
necessary for the exercise of the powers of the USSR under
the Constitution of the USSR;
2) establishment of basic provisions in the domain of utiliza-
tion of water, prevention of pollution, obstruction and depletion
of water, and the prevention and elinination of the harmful
effects of water;
3) establishment of all-union standards for water use and

water quality, and of methods for assessing such [ quality];
4) establishment of a unified USSR system of recording
water resources and their utilization, registration of water
uses, and a State Water Register:
5) confirmation of integrated water utilization and conserva-
tion schemes and of water resources balances of all-union sig-
nificance;
6) planning of all-union measures for the utilization and
conservation of water and for the prevention and elimination
of its harmful effects;
7) state supervision of the utilization and conservation of
water and establishing the procedure for its implementation;
8) defining the water installations whose use is to be regu-
lated by agencies of the USSR.
Article 6. Powers of the RSFSR in the domain of water rela-
tionships. The following matters outside the jurisdiction of
the USSR shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Russian
Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the domain of regulating
water relationships: disposal of the unified State Water Fund
on the territory of the republic; establishment of the proce-
dure for the use of water, for protecting it from pollution, ob-
struction, and depletion, and for the prevention and elimination
of the harmful effects of water; planning of measures for the
utilization and conservation of water and for the prevention
and elimination of its harmful effects; confirmation of inte-
grated water utilization and conservation schemes and water
resources balances; exercise of state supervision over the
utilization and conservation of water; and the regulation of
water relationships in other matters unless they have been
relegated to the jurisdiction of the USSR.
Article 7. Jurisdiction of autonomous soviet socialist repub-
lics in the domain of regulating water relationships. The fol-
lowing shall be subject to the jurisdiction of autonomous soviet
socialist republics in the domain of regulating water relation-
ships: disposal of the unified State Water Fund on the territory
of the republic and the exercise of direction and state
WINTER 1972-73
supervision over the utilization and conservation of water in

accordance with USSR, RSFSR, and ASSR legislation.
Chapter IU: State Control and Supervision

of Water Utilization and Conservation
Article 8. State administration in the domain of water utili-

zation and conservation. According to the Fundamental Prin-
ciples of Water Legislation of the USSR and the Union Repub-
lics, state administration of water utilization and conservation
in the RSFSR shall be exercised by the Council of Ministers of
the USSR, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, councils of
ministers of autonomous republics, the executive committees
of local soviets of working people's deputies, and also by spe-
cially authorized state agencies for regulating water utilization
and conservation, either directly or through basin (or terri-
tory) administrations, and by other state agencies in accor-
dance with USSR and RSFSR legislation.
The Ministry of Soil and Water Conservation of the RSFSR
and its local agencies, within the limits of their jurisdiction,
shall be specially authorized state agencies for regulating
water utilization and conservation.
Article 9. State supervision of water utilization and conser-
vation. The task of state supervision of water utilization and
conservation shall be to ensure that all ministries, depart-
ments, state, cooperative, and social enterprises, organiza-
tions, and institutions, and all citizens observe the established
procedure for water use, fulfill their duties in relation to wa-
ter conservation and the prevention and elimination of the
harmful effects of water, and observe the rules for recording
water resources and other rules established by water legis-
lation.
State supervision of water utilization and conservation shall
be exercised by soviets of working people's deputies and their
executive and administrative agencies, and also by specially
authorized state agencies in the procedure established by
USSR legislation.
Chapter III: Participation of Social Organizations and

Citizens in the Implementation of Measures for the
Efficient Utilization and Conservation of Water
Article 10. Assistance to state agencies in the implementa-

tion of measures for the efficient utilization and conservation
of water. Trade unions, youth organizations, the Nature Con-
servation Society, scientific societies, other social organiza-
tions, and citizens shall assist state agencies in implementing
measures for the efficient utilization and conservation of
water.
Article 11. Procedure for participation of social organiza-
tions and citizens in measures for the efficient utilization and
conservation of water. Social organizations shall participate
in activities directed towards ensuring the efficient utilization
and conservation of water in accordance with their charters
(or statutes) and with the legislation of the USSR and the RSFSR.
Citizens shall assist state agencies in implementing mea-
sures for the efficient utilization and conservation of water by
direct participation in essential work, by making suggestions
for improvements in the utilization and conservation of water,
and by reporting violations of the water utilization and conser-
vation rules known to them.
Chapter IV: Siting, Design, Construction, and Putting

into Operation of Enterprises, Structures, and Other
Installations Affecting the State of Water
Article 12. Conditions for the siting, design, construction,

and putting into operation of enterprises, structures, and other
installations affecting the state of water. Efficient utilization
of water, with priority given to satisfying the needs of the pop-
ulation for drinking and domestic water, must be ensured when
siting, designing, constructing, and putting into operation new
and converted enterprises, structures, and other installations,
and also when new technological processes are introduced. In
these circumstances, provision shall be made for recording
WINTER 1972-73
water abstracted from water installations and water returned

to circulation; protecting waters from pollution, obstruction,
and depletion; preventing the harmful effects of water; restrict-
ing the flooding of land to the minimum level necessary; pro-
tecting land from salinization, saturation, or drying out, as
well as retaining favorable natural conditions and landscapes.
In constructing enterprises, structures, and other installa-
tions which affect the state of water, the possibilities of using
the waters for sport and leisure shall be taken into account,
depending on natural and economic conditions.
Article 13. Conditions for the siting, design, construction,
and putting into operation of enterprises, structures, and other
installations on waters used for fishing. In siting, designing,
constructing, and putting into operation new and converted
enterprises, structures, and other installations on waters used
for fishing, measures to conserve the fish and other aquatic
animals and plants and to maintain conditions for their regen-
eration must be implemented in good time, in addition to the
requirements provided by Article 12 of this code.
Article 14. Coordination of sites and designs for the con-
struction of enterprises, structures, and other installations
affecting the state of water. The establishment of sites for
the construction of enterprises, structures, and other installa-
tions affecting the state of water shall be agreed with agencies
for regulating the utilization and conservation of water, execu-
tive committees of local soviets of working people's deputies,
agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate and of the Fishery
Protection Service, and with other agencies, in accordance
with USSR and RSFSR legislation. Designs for the construction
of these enterprises, structures, and other installations shall
be subject to agreement with agencies for regulating the utilization
and conservation of water and with other agencies in the instances
and under the procedure established by USSR legislation.
Article 15. Conditions in which it is forbidden to put enter-
prises, structures, and other installations affecting the state
of water into operation. It shall be forbidden to put the follow-
ing into operation:
new and converted enterprises, workshops, production units,

municipal and other installations not provided with devices to
prevent the pollution and obstruction of water or the harmful
effects of water
irrigation and water supply systems, reservoirs and canals,
before giving effect to the measures provided in the designs to
prevent the flooding, saturation, waterlogging, and salinization
of land and soil erosion;
drainage systems, before the water or other installations
are ready in accordance with the confirmed designs;
water intake structures without fish-protection devices in
accordance with the confirmed designs;
hydraulic engineering structures, until devices for the pas-
sage of flood water and fish are ready in accordance with the
confirmed designs;
boreholes for water, unless equipped with water-regulating
devices and, in appropriate cases, unless sanitary protection
zones are established;
vessels, self-propelled and otherwise, without devices for
the collection of bilge and other waste water produced on the
vessels.
The filling of reservoirs shall be forbidden until the bed
preparations provided in the designs have been implemented.
Chapter V: Performing Work on Water Installations

and in Coastal Belts (or Zones)
Article 16. Procedure for performing work on water instal-

lations and in coastal belts (or zones). Construction, dredging
and blasting, taking minerals and aquatic plants, laying cables,
pipelines, and other communications, cutting timber, drilling,
agricultural, and other work on water installations or in coast-
.1 belts (or zones) where the state of water is affected shall be
performed by agreement with agencies for regulating the utili-
zation and conservation of water, executive committees of
Local soviets of working people's deputies, and with other
igencies, in accordance with USSR and RSFSR legislation.
WINTER 1972-73
Bucket-dredging operations on navigable waterways, con-

nected with ensuring conditions for navigation, shall be carried
out by the agencies which regulate navigation, observing the
interests of other water users and reporting to the agencies
for regulating the utilization and conservation of water.
Article 17. Coastal belts (or zones). The first and second
belts in the sanitary protection zone for sources of water-
supply, shore belts of internal waterways, belts allocated to
main canals and to canals serving several economic units,
and other belts (or zones) as provided by legislation shall be
regarded as coastal belts (or zones).
PART II: WATER USE
Chapter VI: Water Users, Objects and Types of Water Use
Article 18. Water users. State, cooperative, and social en-

terprises, organizations, and institutions, and citizens of the
USSR may be water users in the RSFSR.
Other organizations and persons also may be water users
in the instances provided by USSR legislation.
Article 19. Objects of water use. The waters enumerated
in Article 4 of this code shall be granted for use.
Article 20. Partial or complete prohibition of use of water.
In accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legis-
lation of the USSR and the Union Republics, the use of waters
which are of particular importance to the state or of particular
scientific or cultural value may be prohibited, either wholly or
in part, in the procedure established by the Council of Minis-
ters of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR.
Article 21. Types of water use, distinguished by designated
purpose. Waters shall be granted for use provided that the
legal requirements and conditions for satisfying the needs of
the population for water for drinking; domestic, medicinal,
health-resort, therapeutic, and other purposes; and agricul-
tural, industrial, power, transport, fishery, and other state
and social needs are observed. Waters may be granted
for use for one or for several purposes.

The use of waters for the discharge of effluent may be per-
mitted only in the instances provided by USSR legislation, by
Articles 74-76 of this code, and by other RSFSR legislation,
and with the observance of the special requirements and con-
ditions contained therein.
Article 22. General and special water use. A distinction
shall be made between general water use, which is exercised
without the use of structures or technical devices which affect
the state of the water, and special water use, when such struc-
tures or devices are used. The use of waters which does not
involve structures or technical devices but which does affect
the state of the water may also be regarded as special water
use in individual instances.
A list of the types of special water use shall be established
by the agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of
water.
Article 23. Joint and solitary water use. Waters may be in
joint or solitary use.
Waters (or parts of waters) shall be in solitary use when an
enterprise, institution, or organization has been granted use
of them on the basis of a decision by state agencies (Article 28
of this code).
Those waters (or parts of waters) which have not been
granted for solitary use shall be in joint use.
Article 24. Primary and secondary water use. Enterprises,
organizations, and institutions to whom waters have been
granted in solitary use are primary water users; in the in-
stances established by USSR and RSFSR legislation, they shall
have the right to authorize secondary water use by other en-
terprises, organizations, and institutions or by citizens by
agreement with the agencies regulating utilization and conser-
vation of water.
The purposes for which the waters will be used and the basic
conditions of use shall be indicated in permits for secondary
water use.
Where necessary, the conditions of secondary water use and
WINTER 1972-73
the mutual rights and duties of the parties shall be embodied

in a contract between the primary and secondary water users.
Chapter VII: Procedure and Conditions

for Granting Waters for Use
Article 25. Priority satisfaction of drinking and domestic

needs of the population. Waters shall be granted for use first
of all to satisfy the drinking.and domestic needs of the popu-
lation.
Article 26. Water use free of charge. No charge shall be
made for the use of water. In accordance with the Fundamental
Principles of Water Legislation of the USSR and the Union Re-
publics, special water use may be subject to payment in the
instances and the procedure established by the USSR Council
of Ministers.
Article 27. Grounds for granting waters for solitary use.
Waters in whole or in part shall be granted for solitary use
on the basis of a decree of the RSFSR Council of Ministers or
of the Council of Ministers of an autonomous republic, a deci-
sion by the executive committee of the appropriate soviet of
working people's deputies, or by some other duly authorized
state agency, in the procedure established by USSR and RSFSR
legislation.
The decree or decisions granting waters for solitary use
shall indicate the purpose for which they are granted and the
basic conditions for using the waters.
The procedure for initiating and considering applications for-
granting waters for solitary use shall be established by the
RSFSR Council of Ministers.
Article 28. Agencies granting waters for solitary use. The
executive committees of district and city soviets of working
people's deputies shall grant for solitary use the closed (or
standing) waters situated within. the limits of the district or
city.
The executive committees of regional and territory soviets
of working people's deputies and the councils of ministers of
autonomous republics shall grant for solitary use the waters

in the region, territory, or autonomous republic which are not
relegated as navigable or logging waterways and which have
not been declared to be preserves.
The RSFSR Council of Ministers, or authorized state agen-
cies, shall grant for solitary use the waters or parts thereof
in the instances provided by Articles 20 and 71 of this code,
and also in all other instances.
Article 29. Documents certifying the right to solitary use of
waters. The right of water users to solitary use of waters
shall be certified by state documents conferring the right of
water user, which shall be issued by the executive committees
of district, town, or city soviets of working people's deputies.
The form of the documents shall be established by the RSFSR
Council of Ministers.
Article 30. Permits for special water use. Special water
use shall be based on permits issued by agencies regulating
the use and conservation of water or, in the instances provided
by Article 31 of this code, by the councils of ministers of au-
tonomous republics or the executive committees of local so-
viets of working people's deputies. These permits shall be
issued after agreement with agencies of the State Sanitary
Inspectorate, the Fishery Protection Service, and other inter-
ested agencies. In accordance with the Fundamental Principles
of Water Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics, the
procedure for agreement to and issue of permits for special
water use shall be established by the USSR Council of Ministers.
Article 31. Permits for special water use issued by Councils
of Ministers of autonomous republics and executive committees
of local soviets of working people's deputies. The executive
committees of the appropriate rural, settlement, or city sovi-
ets of working people's deputies shall issue permits for the
use of subterranean water by the installation on the territory
of rural population centers, settlements, or cities of shaft
wells or closed filter wells, or by catchment of springs oper-
ating without forced reduction of the water level.
Permits for the establishment of these wells and catchments
WINTER 1972-73
on state reserve lands and the State Forest Fund shall be is-
sued by executive committees of district soviets of working
people's deputies.
Special water use on closed (or standing) waters situated on
the territory of a district or city or on streams or waterless
valleys shall be based on permits issued by the executive com-
mittees of the appropriate district or city soviets of working
people's deputies.
Permits for water use by establishing and operating struc-
tures that create a head of water on rivers not relegated as
waterways and not being sources of centralized water-supply
shall be issued by the councils of ministers of autonomous
republics or the executive committees of territory or regional
soviets of working people's deputies.
Article 32. Procedure for exercise of general water use.
General water use shall be without a permit.
In general water use, the requirements of agencies of the
State Sanitary Inspectorate and Fishery Protection Service
and agencies regulating navigation and logging, and the rules
for the safety of persons on water and for the efficient utiliza-
tion and conservation of water must be observed.
With a view to preserving the lives and health of citizens,
or for reasons connected with industry or other considerations,
the executive committees of rural, settlement, city, or district
soviets of working people's deputies shall establish places
where bathing, boating, the taking of water for drinking or do-
mestic purposes, and the watering of cattle are forbidden, and
they shall also define other conditions for general water use
on waters situated on the territory of the rural population cen-
ter, settlement, city, or district, respectively.
Proposals for general water use conditions shall be sub-
mitted by agencies regulating utilization and conservation of
water, lifesaving societies, agencies of the State Sanitary In-
spectorate and of wildlife conservation, and other interested
agencies.
The executive committee of the soviet of working people's
deputies shall be obliged to announce the conditions which it
has established for general water use.

Article 33. General water use of waters granted for solitary
use. General water use shall be permitted for waters granted
for solitary use under the conditions established by the pri-
mary water user with the agreement of agencies regulating
utilization and conservation of water, and, where necessary,
may be prohibited.
The primary water user shall be obliged to announce the con-
ditions or the prohibition of general water use of the waters
granted to it for solitary use.
If the primary water user and the executive committee of
the local soviet of working people's deputies have failed to an-
nounce the conditions or the prohibition of general water use
of waters granted for solitary use, general water use in ac-
cordance with the water legislation shall be deemed to have
been permitted without restriction.
Article 34. Periods of water use. Waters shall be granted
for temporary use or without limit as to time.
Water use shall be deemed to be without limit (permanent)
where no period is fixed beforehand.
Temporary use may be short-term - up to 3 years - or
long-term - from 3 to 25 years. Where necessary, the peri-
ods of water use may be extended for a period not exceeding
the periods of short-term or long-term temporary use, as
appropriate.
General water use shall be unrestricted as to time.
Chapter Vm: Rights and Duties of Water Users
Article 35. Use of waters according to designated purpose.

Water users shall have the right to use waters solely for those
purposes for which they have been granted.
Article 36. Rights of water users. Water users shall have,
in accordance with the designated purpose for which the use
of waters was granted, the right in the established procedure:
to extract water for its subsequent use;
to use waters for the needs of agriculture, industry,
WINTER 1972-73
hydroelectric engineering, transport, fishing, or hunting;

to erect water conservancy (or hydraulic engineering) struc-
tures and devices and to convert or eliminate them;
to use the waters for leisure, sporting, or therapeutic ac-
tivities; for maintaining natural complexes in favorable condi-
tions; and for other acts of water use not prohibited by legis-
lation.
Article 37. Restriction of water users' rights. The rights
of water users may be restricted in the interests of the state
or in the interests of other water users during exceptional
water shortages, emergency situations on waters, threatened
epidemics or epizootics, and in other instances provided by
USSR and RSFSR legislation. In these circumstances, there
must be no deterioration in the conditions of water use for
drinking and domestic purposes by the population.
Limitation of the rights of water users during the implemen-
tation of urgent measures to prevent or remedy natural calam-
ities caused by harmful effects of water shall be regulated by
Article 102 of this code.
The rights of water users to solitary use of waters may be
restricted by the agency which granted the given waters for
solitary use; rights to special use may be restricted by the
agency which granted the permit for special water use; and
rights to secondary water use may be restricted by the pri-
mary water user by agreement of the agency regulating the
utilization and conservation of waters, and also by other agen-
cies, in accordance with USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Article 38. Duties of water users. Water users shall be
obliged:
to use the waters efficiently and to concern themselves with
the economic consumption of water and the restoration and
improvement of water quality;
to take measures for the complete cessation of the discharge
into waters of waste containing pollutants;
not to permit the violation of rights granted to other water
users or the infliction of damage to economic or natural ob-
jects (land, forests, wildlife, minerals, etc.);
to maintain water-treatment and other water-conservancy

structures and technical devices affecting the state of the wa-
ter in good repair, to improve their operation, and in estab-
lished instances to record water use.
Article 39. Incentive for water users implementing mea-
sures for efficient water utilization and conservation. Incen-
tives for water users to encourage efficient water utilization
and conservation measures of general value shall be estab-
lished by the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR.
Chapter IX: Grounds and Procedure for

Termination of Water Use Rights
Article 40. Grounds for termination of water use rights.

The right of water use by enterprises, organizations, institu-
tions, and citizens shall be subject to termination in the follow-
ing instances, as appropriate:
1) no further need of water use or renunciation thereof;
2) expiry of the period of water use;
3) liquidation of an enterprise, organization, or institution;
4) transfer of water conservancy structures to other water
users;
5) necessity for withdrawing waters from solitary use.
The right of water use by enterprises, organizations, insti-
tutions, and citizens (except for the right to use water for
drinking and domestic purposes) may also be terminated when
the rules for water use and conservation and violated or when
waters are not used in accordance with the purpose for which
they were granted.
Other grounds for terminating the right of water use by en-
terprises, organizations, institutions, and citizens may be pro-
vided by RSFSR legislation.
Article 41. Procedure for termination of water use rights.
The rights of water use shall be terminated:
by cancellation of a permit for special or secondary water
use;
by withdrawal of waters granted for solitary use.
WINTER 1972-73
Special water use shall be terminated by decision of the

agency which issued the permit therefor.
Secondary water use may be terminated by decision of the
primary water user or by agreement with the agency regulating
water utilization and conservation.
Article 42. Withdrawal of waters from solitary use. Waters
shall be withdrawn from solitary use on the basis of decrees
(or decisions) of the state agencies which have the right to
grant particular waters for use, unless otherwise provided by
USSR legislation.
Withdrawal of waters from the use of preserves shall be car-
ried out in accordance with Article 72 of this code.
Withdrawal of waters from solitary use by enterprises, or-
ganizations, and institutions of all-union subordination shall
be carried out by agreement with the water users and the min-
istries and departments to which they are directly subordinate.
Article 43. Compensation for losses caused by the conduct-
ing of water measures or by termination or alteration of water
use conditions. In accordance with the Fundamental Principles
of Water Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics,
losses caused to enterprises, organizations, institutions, and
citizens as a result of the conducting of water measures (hy-
draulic engineering works and the like) or as a result of ter-
mination or alteration of water use conditions shall be subject
to compensation in the instances and the procedure established
by the USSR Council of Ministers.
Chapter X: Use of Waters for Drinking, Domestic,

and Other Needs of the Population
Article 44. Waters granted for drinking, domestic, and other

needs of the population. Waters of a quality which meets es-
tablished sanitary requirements shall be granted for the drink-
ing and domestic water supply, as well as for other needs of
the population.
Article 45. Centralized water supply for the population.
When waters are used for the drinking, domestic, and other
needs of the population by way of a centralized water supply

system, the enterprises, institutions, and organizations which
operate, own, or use the water mains shall have the right to
take water from the sources of supply in accordance with de-
signs of water extraction structures and special water use
permits confirmed in the established procedure for the pro-
duction of water of drinking quality and its transmission to
consumers.
The enterprises, institutions, and organizations indicated in
this article shall be obliged to organize the recording of water
taken, to make regular observations of the state of the water
in the sources of supply, and to report to agencies regulating
the utilization and conservation of water, agencies of the State
Sanitary Inspectorate, and the executive committees of local
soviets of working people's deputies about deviations in the
quality of water in the sources from the established standards.
Article 46. Noncentralized water supply for the population.
When waters are used for drinking, domestic, and other needs
of the population by way of a noncentralized water supply sys-
tem, enterprises, institutions, organizations, and citizens
shall have the right to take water directly from surface or
subterranean sources by way of general or special water use.
The use of water extraction structures intended for these
purposes shall be in accordance with rules established by ex-
ecutive committees of the rural, settlement, or city soviets
of working people's deputies on whose territory the water ex-
traction structures are situated.
Article 47. Use of subterranean waters of drinking quality
for needs unconnected with drinking and domestic water sup-
ply. As a rule, the use of subterranean waters of drinking
quality for needs unconnected with drinking and domestic wa-
ter supply shall not be permitted. In districts which lack the
necessary surface water sources and which have sufficient
reserves of subterranean waters of drinking quality, agencies
regulating utilization and conservation of water may permit
this water to be used for purposes unconnected with drinking
and domestic water supply.
WINTER 1972-73
Chapter XI: Use of Waters for Medicinal,

Health-Resort, and Therapeutic Purposes
Article 48. Priority use of waters relegated to the category

of medicinal for medicinal and health-resort purposes. Waters
relegated in the established procedure to the category of me-
dicinal [waters] shall be used first of all for medicinal and
health-resort purposes. In exceptional instances, agencies
regulating the utilization and conservation of water may per-
mit the use of waters relegated to the category of medicinal
for other purposes by agreement with the appropriate public
health and health-resort administration agencies.
The discharge of effluent into waters relegated to the cate-
gory of medicinal shall be prohibited.
Article 49. Procedure for use of waters for sport and lei-
sure. The use of waters for sport and leisure shall be per-
mitted without special authorization.
Waters shall be used for mass leisure and sport in places
established by executive committees of soviets of working
people's deputies by agreement with State Sanitary Inspectorate
and fishery protection agencies and the Lifesaving Society, and,
in the case of navigable and logging waterways, by agreement
with agencies regulating navigation and logging.
To ensure organized mass leisure and the development of
sport, waters may be granted for solitary use to state and so-
cial organizations either wholly or in part.
The use of waters for leisure and sport may be prohibited
or restricted in the instances and the procedure provided by
Articles 32 and 33 of this code.
Article 50. Use of waters for amateur or sport fishing. The
use of waters for amateur or sport fishing shall be permitted
subject to the observance of fishing rules, except for preserves,
fish hatcheries, fish farms, and other places where fishing is
prohibited.
Article 51. The use of waters for boating. The use of wa-
ters for boating in small craft (rowing and motorboats,
launches, sailing boats, etc.) shall be permitted subject to
the observance of rules governing the use of small craft es-

tablished by councils of ministers of autonomous republics and
territory or regional soviets of working people's deputies.
Small craft must be registered under the established proce-
dure and carry side markings.
Chapter XII: Use of Waters for the Needs of Agriculture
Article 52. General and special water use for the needs of
agriculture. The use of waters for agricultural needs shall be
by way of both general and special water use.
In special water use, irrigation, water-supply, drainage,
and other water structures and devices belonging to state or-
ganizations, collective farms, state farms, and other water
users shall be employed.
Article 53. Duties of water users utilizing waters for the
needs of agriculture. Collective farms, state farms, and other
enterprises, organizations, institutions, and citizens using wa-
ters for the needs of agriculture shall be obliged to observe
the established plans, rules, standards, and regime of water
use, to take measures to reduce the loss of water in filtration
and by evaporation in drainage and irrigation systems, to pre-
vent inefficient discharges of water from these systems, to
prevent fish from fishery waters from entering drainage and
irrigation systems, and also to create the most favorable con-
ditions of soil moisture.
Article 54. Irrigation with drainage waters. Irrigation of
agricultural land with drainage water shall be authorized by
agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of water
by agreement with the State Sanitary and Veterinary Inspec-
torates.
Article 55. Water supply for agriculture. The water supply
for agriculture shall be subdivided into centralized and non-
centralized supply. The rules set out in Article 45 of this
code shall extend to centralized water supply for agriculture.
Water shall be supplied on a noncentralized basis to farms
and individual agricultural enterprises with the authorization
WINTER 1972-73
of'executive committees of rural, settlement, or city soviets

of working people's deputies; water shall be provided for pas-
tures with the authorization of the executive committees of
district or city soviets of working people's deputies by agree-
ment with the State Sanitary and Veterinary Inspectorates and
agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of water.
Collective farms, state farms, and other enterprises, orga-
nizations, and institutions using water supply systems for the
provision of water for pastures and other agricultural purposes
shall be obliged not to permit the wasteful discharge of water
or salinization or waterlogging of the land.
The release of water from ponds, canals, and other water-
supply structures shall be permitted by agreement with agen-
cies regulating the utilization and conservation of water.
Article 56. Irrigation and drainage of lands occupied by
forests, forest belts, and tree nurseries. The provisions of
Articles 52-55 of this code shall also extend to the irrigation
and drainage of land occupied by forests, forest belts, and
tree nurseries.
Chapter XIII: Use of Waters for Industrial Purposes

and Hydroelectric Engineering Needs
Article 57. Duties of water users utilizing waters for indus-

trial purposes. Water users utilizing waters for industrial
purposes shall be obliged to observe the established plans,
technical standards, and rules for water use, and shall also
take measures to reduce the consumption of water and to stop
the discharge of effluent by improving production technology
and water supply schemes (employment of waterless processes,
air cooling, recirculating water, and other technical methods).
Article 58. Restriction or prohibition of using drinking wa-
ter for industrial purposes. In the event of natural calamity,
emergency, or other exceptional circumstances, and also when
an enterprise exceeds the established limit of water consump-
tion from the main, the executive committees of local soviets
of working people's deputies shall have the right to reduce or
prohibit the consumption for industrial purposes of drinking

water from municipal water mains and to impose temporary
restrictions on use of water from departmental mains, in the
interests of priority satisfaction of the needs of the population
for drinking and domestic water.
Article 59. Use of subterranean water for technical water
supply and other needs of production. Subterranean water
(fresh, mineral, or thermal) not relegated to the category of
drinking or medicinal water may be used in the established
procedure for technical water supply, extraction of chemical
elements contained therein, obtaining thermal energy, and for
other needs of production, subject to observance of the require-
ments for efficient utilization and conservation of water.
Article 60. Use of waters for hydroelectric engineering
needs. In accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Wa-
ter Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics, the use of
waters for the needs of hydroelectric engineering shall take
account of the interests of other branches of the national econ-
omy, as well as the observance of the requirements for inte-
grated utilization of water, unless directly provided otherwise
by decree of the USSR Council of Ministers, by decree of the
RSFSR Council of Ministers, or in appropriate cases by deci-
sion of an agency regulating the utilization and conservation
of water.
Chapter XIV: Use of Waters for the Needs of

Water Transport, Air Transport, and Logging
Article 61. Waterways of general use. In accordance with

the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation of the USSR
and the Union Republics, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, canals, in-
ternal seas, and other internal sea waters of the USSR, as well
as the territorial waters (or territorial seas) of the USSR,
shall be waterways of general use, except for instances when
their use for these purposes is wholly or partially prohibited
or they have been granted for solitary use.
The procedure for relegating waterways to the category of
WINTER 1972-73
navigable and logging waterways and for establishing rules

for the use of waterways shall be determined by USSR and
RSFSR legislation.
Article 62. Floating unrafted logs and floating timber in
bundles and chained rafts without tugs. In accordance with
and the Union Republics, the floating of unrafted logs and the
floating of timber in bundles and chained rafts without tugs
shall be prohibited:
1) on navigable waterways;
2) on waters, a list of which shall be confirmed by the USSR
Council of Ministers or the RSFSR Council of Ministers, hav-
ing regard to the particular importance of these waters for
fishing, water supply, or other purposes of the national econ-
omy.
The above forms of logging shall be permitted on other wa-
ters on the basis of permits issued by agencies regulating the
utilization and conservation of water after agreement with
fishery protection agencies.
In accordance with USSR legislation, the rule prohibiting the
floating of unrafted logs and the floating of timber in bundles
and chained rafts without tugs on navigable waterways shall
not exclude the right of logging organizations to use these
forms of logging in the procedure established by the USSR
Council of Ministers on waterways along which navigation
takes place only at the period of high water, or the movement
of loose timber or timber in bundles and chained rafts without
tugs in restricted sections of waterways up to the floating
piers (or roadsteads) where the timber is loaded or made up
into rafts.
Permits in these instances shall be issued by agencies regu-
lating the utilization and conservation of water by agreement
with agencies regulating navigation and fishery protection
agencies.
Article 63. Duties of logging organizations in clearing log-
ging routes. Logging organizations shall be obliged regularly
to clear sunken timber from the logging routes and also from
navigable waterways in the instances provided by Article 62

of this code.
The periods for clearing operations and the procedure for
declaring waters duly cleared of sunken timber shall be estab-
lished by agencies regulating the utilization and conservation
of water.
Article 64. Use of waters for the needs of air transport. In
accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legisla-
tion of the USSR and the Union Republics, the procedure for the
use of waters for berthing, take-off, and landing of aircraft,
and for other air transport needs, shall be established by
USSR legislation.
Chapter XV: Use of Waters for Commercial Fishing Needs
Article 65. Rights and duties of fishing enterprises and or-

ganizations in relation to water use. Enterprises, collective
farms, and other organizations using commercial fishery wa-
ters or fishery areas shall implement the work necessary for
fishery management and shall take fish and other aquatic ani-
mals and plants in accordance with the production plans con-
firmed in the established procedure on these waters and areas.
By agreement with fishery protection agencies, they shall
be obliged to carry out fish-breeding and improvement mea-
sures to ensure improvement in the state of the waters and in
the conditions for regeneration of fish stocks, as well as to
maintain coastal areas in a proper sanitary condition in the
places where fish are caught.
Article 66. Restriction of water use on commercial fishery
waters. The rights of water users may be restricted in the
interests of fishing on commercial fishery waters or individual
areas thereof which are of particular importance in the pres-
ervation and regeneration of valuable fish species and other
commercially useful stocks. A list of such waters or areas
thereof and the forms of restriction of water use shall be de-
termined by agencies regulating the utilization and conserva-
tion of water upon the representations of fishery protection
agencies.
WINTER 1972-73
Article 67. Implementation of fish stock conservation and

regeneration measures. When hydraulic engineering and other
structures are in operation on commercial fishery waters,
timely measures must be implemented to conserve fish stocks
and to maintain the conditions for their regeneration.
Article 68. Procedure for the use of waters for the needs
of commercial fishing. The procedure for the use of waters
for the needs of commercial fishing shall be established by
USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Chapter XVI: Use of Waters for Commercial

Hunting and Trapping Needs
Article 69. The right of water use for hunting and trapping
enterprises and organizations. Agencies regulating the utiliza-
tion and conservation of water may grant preferential rights
of water use over rivers, lakes, and other waters which are
the habitat of wild waterfowl and valuable fur-bearing animals
(beaver, muskrat, coypu, etc.) to hunting and trapping enter-
prises and organizations, having regard to integrated water
utilization requirements.
Article 70. Procedure for use of waters for commercial
hunting and trapping needs. The use of waters for commercial
hunting and trapping needs (rearing waterfowl and fur-bearing
animals, cultivation of plants, and other measures essential
to hunting and trapping management) shall be with the agree-
ment of agencies regulating the utilization and conservation
of water, agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate and Fish-
ery Protection Service, and other interested agencies.
Chapter XVII: Use of Waters for the Needs of Preserves
Article 71. Protected waters. Waters which are of particu-

lar scientific or cultural value shall be declared to be pro-
tected waters in the procedure established by USSR and RSFSR
legislation, and shall be granted in solitary use as preserves
in perpetuity for purposes of nature conservation and scien-
tific research.
Waters in the RSFSR shall be declared preserves and shall

be granted for use as preserves on the basis of a decree of
the RSFSR Council of Ministers.
The procedure for the use of waters as preserves shall be
established by the statutes on preserves.
Article 72. Withdrawal of waters from use as preserves.
The withdrawal of waters from use as preserves shall be per-
mitted only in instances of special necessity, on the basis of
a decree of the RSFSR Council of Ministers.
Article 73. Recognition of waters as monuments of nature
or of culture. Waters of scientific or cultural value not de-
clared to be protected waters shall be recognized to be monu-
ments of nature or of culture in the procedure established by
the RSFSR Council of Ministers. The decisions recognizing
waters as monuments of nature or of culture and establishing
the basic conditions for their use shall be brought to the infor-
mation of the population and of interested organizations.
Chapter XVIII: Use of Waters for the Discharge of Waste
Article 74. Procedure for use of waters for the discharge

of waste. The use of waters for the discharge of industrial
effluent, municipal waste, drainage, and other waste water
may take place only with the authorization of agencies regu-
lating the utilization and conservation of water, after agree-
ment with agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate, fishery
protection, and other interested agencies.
Article 75. Instances in which waste discharge into waters
is permissible. Waste discharge into waters shall be permitted
only if it will not lead to an increase in the pollutant content
above the established norms and on condition that the waste is
purified by the water user to the standards established by
agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of water.
If the said requirements are violated, the discharge of waste
must be restricted, suspended, or prohibited by agencies regu-
lating the utilization and conservation of water until the indi-
vidual industrial establishments, workshops, enterprises,
WINTER 1972-73
organizations, or institutions cease the activity. In instances

where the health of the population is threatened, agencies of
the State Sanitary Inspectorate shall have the right to suspend
the discharge of waste up to the point at which productive or
other units cease operations, with notification thereof to agen-
cies regulating the utilization and conservation of water.
Article 76. Conditions for the use of waters for the dis-
charge of waste. The use of waters for the discharge of waste
shall be in accordance with the requirements stipulated in the
permit for special water use, on condition that all the mea-
sures to purify and render harmless the waste to be discharged
from newly built and converted industrial, municipal, and agri-
cultural enterprises must be implemented before the produc-
tive capacity of these enterprises is brought into operation.
Chapter XIX: Use of Waters for Fire-Fighting

and Other State and Social Necessities -
Article 77. Use of waters for fire-fighting and other state

and social necessities. It shall be permitted to take water
from any waters for the needs of fire-fighting. Water shall
be taken without special authorization in the quantity required
to extinguish the fire. The use of waters specially set aside
for the needs of fire-fighting, except for the specified purpose,
shall be prohibited.
The procedure for the use of waters for other state and so-
cial necessities shall be established by USSR and RSFSR legis-
lation.
Chapter XX: Use of Reservoirs
Article 78. Regime for filling and operating reservoirs.

Enterprises, organizations, and institutions which use installa-
tions creating a head of water, allowing passage of water, or
collecting water on reservoirs structures shall be obliged to
observe the regime of filling and operating the reservoirs
which has been established having regard to the interests of
water users and land users in the zones of influence of the

reservoirs.
Article 79. Procedure for the use of reservoirs. The pro-
cedure for use of reservoirs shall be determined by rules con-
firmed by agencies regulating the utilization and conservation
of water for each reservoir, reservoir stage, or reservoir sys-
tem by agreement with agencies of the State Sanitary Inspec-
torate and Fishery Protection Service and other agencies con-
cerned.
Article 80. Organization and coordination of measures to
ensure the proper technical condition and upkeep of reservoirs.
In accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legis-
lation of the USSR and the Union Republics, agencies regulating
the utilization and conservation of water shall organize and
coordinate measures to ensure the proper technical condition
and upkeep of reservoirs and shall also supervise the obser-
vance of reservoir management rules, in the procedure estab-
lished by the USSR Council of Ministers or the RSFSR Council
of Ministers.
Article 81. Lakes and other waters used as reservoirs. The
provisions of Articles 78-80 of this code shall also extend to
the use of lakes and other waters used as reservoirs.
Chapter XXI: Regulation of the Use of Waters Situated on

the Territory of the RSFSR and of Another Union Republic
Article 82. Regulation of the use of waters situated on the

territory of the RSFSR and of another union republic. In ac-
cordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation
of the USSR and the Union Republics, the regulation of the use
of waters situated on the territory of the RSFSR and of another
union republic (or union republics) shall concern the part af-
fecting their interests by agreement between agencies of the
RSFSR and of the republic (or republics) concerned, except
for waters where the regulation of use is relegated to the juris-
diction of the USSR.
WINTER 1972-73
Chapter XXII: Procedure for Settlement of

Water Use Disputes
Article 83. Agencies which settle water use disputes. Dis-

putes relating to the use of water shall be settled by the RSFSR
Council of Ministers, the councils of ministers of autonomous
republics, the executive committees of local soviets of working
people's deputies, by agencies regulating the utilization and
conservation of water, and by other duly authorized state agen-
cies in the procedure established by USSR legislation, by this
code, and by other RSFSR legislation.
Article 84. Settlement of disputes between water users of
the RSFSR and water users of other union republics. In accor-
dance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation
of the USSR and the Union Republics, disputes between water
users of the RSFSR and water users of other union republics
relating to the use of water shall be considered by a commis-
sion composed of representatives of the RSFSR and of the other
union republics concerned, on an equal footing. If the commis-
sion fails to reach an agreed decision, disputes relating to the
said matters shall be subject to examination in the procedure
established by the USSR Council of Ministers.
Article 85. Settlement of disputes between autonomous re-
public water users. Disputes between the water users of one
autonomous republic and the water users of another autonomous
republic relating to the use of water shall be examined by a
commission composed of representatives of the autonomous
republics concerned, on an equal footing.
If the commission fails to reach an agreed decision, disputes
relating to the said matters shall be subject to consideration in
the procedure established by the RSFSR Council of Ministers.
The same procedure shall be used to examine disputes re-
lating to the use of water between water users of an autonomous
republic and water users of a territory or region.
Article 86. Settlement of disputes between water users of
territories and regions. Disputes between water users of one
territory or region and water users of another territory or
region relating to the use of water shall be considered by a

commission composed of representatives of the territories
and regions concerned, on an equal footing. If the commission
fails to reach an agreed decision, disputes relating to the said
matters shall be considered in the procedure established by
the RSFSR Council of Ministers.
Article 87. Settlement of other water use disputes. Water
use disputes (except for those for which provision is made in
Articles 84-86 of this code) shall be settled as follows:
when a water granted for solitary use is in dispute - by the
agency which granted the water (Article 28 of this code);
when a water which is to be used by way of special water use
is in dispute - by the agency which issued the special water
use permit (Articles 30 and 31 of this code);
in all other instances, by the executive committees of the
rural, settlement, or city soviets of working people's deputies
on whose territory the disputed water or part thereof is situ-
ated.
Article 88. Procedure for examination of disputes relating
to water use by executive committees of local soviets of work-
ing people's deputies. Disputes relating to water use shall be
considered by the executive committees of local soviets of
working people's deputies on the application of one of the
parties.
Where necessary, executive committees of local soviets of
working people's deputies may form commissions to prepare
the materials for settlement of water use disputes; [such com-
missions shall consist] of deputies from local soviets, repre-
sentatives of agencies regulating the utilization and conserva-
tion of water, other agencies concerned, and water conser-
vancy, agricultural, and other specialists.
The agency considering the water use dispute shall make a
decision, in which provision may be made for the procedure
of executing the decision and for measures to restore the right
of the water user which has been violated.
Article 89. Procedure for settlement of property disputes
connected with water relationships. Property disputes
WINTER 1972-73
connected with water relationships shall be settled in the pro-

cedure established by USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Chapter XXmI: Water Use on Frontier Waters of the USSR
Article 90. Water use on frontier waters of the USSR. In ac-

cordance with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation
of the USSR and the Union Republics, water use on the frontier
waters of the USSR shall be on the basis of international agree-
ments.
To the extent that water use in the Soviet part of frontier
waters has not been regulated by international agreements
with the participation of the USSR, it shall be exercised in ac-
cordance with USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Water use procedure on the frontier waters of the USSR
shall be established by the competent agencies, with the agree-
ment of the border-guard command.
PART III: CONSERVATION OF WATER AND

THE PREVENTION OF ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS
Chapter XXIV: Conservation of Water
Article 91. Protection of water from pollution, obstruction,

and depletion. All waters shall be subject to protection from
pollution, obstruction, and depletion which may harm the health
of the population or entail diminution in fish stocks, deteriora-
tion in water-supply conditions, and other undesirable phenom-
ena due to changes in the physical, chemical, and biological
properties of water, reduction in its capacity for natural puri-
fication, and disturbance of the hydrological and hydrogeologi-
cal regime.
Article 92. Measures to ensure water conservation. Enter-
prises, organizations, and institutions whose activity affects
the state of water shall be obliged to carry out technological,
forest-improvement, cropping, hydraulic engineering, sanitary,
and other measures to ensure the protection of water from
pollution, obstruction, and depletion and to ensure improve-

ment of the state and regime of the waters, by agreement with
agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of water,
executive committees of local soviets of working people's
deputies, agencies of the State Sanitary Inspectorate and of the
Fishery Protection Service, and other state agencies con-
cerned, or according to instructions from duly authorized state
authorities.
Article 93. Planning of water conservation measures. Pro-
vision shall be made for water conservation measures in the
state plans for the development of the national economy.
Chapter XXV: Protection of Water from

Pollution and Obstruction
Article 94. Protection of water from pollution and obstruc-

tion by waste matter, refuse, and effluents. The discharge into
waters of industrial, domestic, and other forms of waste mat-
ter and refuse shall be prohibited. Discharge of effluents
shall be permitted only if the requirements provided by Arti-
cles 74-76 of this code are observed.
Article 95. Protection of water from pollution and obstruc-
tion by losses of industrial products. The owners of means
of water transport, pipelines, and floating and other structures
on waters; logging organizations; and other enterprises, orga-
nizations, and institutions shall be obliged not to permit the
pollution or obstruction of water due to losses of oil, timber,
chemical, petroleum, or other products.
Article 96, Protection of the surfaces of catchments and the
ice covering of waters and glaciers from pollution and obstruc-
tion. Enterprises, organizations, and institutions shall be
obliged not to permit the pollution or obstruction of the sur-
faces of catchments, the ice covering of waters, and the sur-
faces of glaciers by industrial, domestic, or other waste mat-
ter, refuse or scrap material, or by petroleum or chemical
products which, if washed down, will entail deterioration in
the quality of surface and subterranean water.
WINTER 1972-73
Article 97. Prevention of water pollution by fertilizers and

toxic chemicals. The administrations of state water conserva-
tion systems, collective farms, state farms, and other enter-
prises, organizations, and institutions shall be obliged to pre-
vent the pollution of water by fertilizers and toxic chemicals.
Article 98. Sanitary protection areas and zones. Sanitary
protection areas and zones shall be established in accordance
with USSR and RSFSR legislation for the purpose of protecting
the water used for drinking and domestic water supplies and
for the medicinal, health-resort, and therapeutic needs of the
population.
Chapter XXVI: Protecting Water from Depletion
Article 99. Forest water conservation zones, forest-

improvement, and other measures to protect water from de-
pletion. Forest water conservation zones shall be established,
and forest-improvement, antierosion, hydraulic engineering,
and other measures shall be implemented in the procedure
provided by USSR and RSFSR legislation, with a view to main-
taining a favorable water regime for rivers, lakes, reservoirs,
subterranean, and other waters; to preventing soil erosion by
water, silting-up of waters, and deterioration in the habitats
of aquatic animals; and to reducing fluctuations in drainage,
and the like.
In agreeing on the siting and construction of enterprises,
structures, and other units which affect the state of water, and
in issuing permits for special water use, the agencies regulat-
ing the utilization and conservation of water shall be obliged
to be guided by schemes for the integrated utilization and con-
servation of water and by water resources balances, which
take account of the interests of water users and land users.
Article 100. Measures to protect subterranean waters from
depletion. If subterranean water levels are found in the course
of drilling and other mining work connected with the search or
prospecting for and exploitation of deposits of gas, petroleum,
coal, and other minerals, the organizations carrying out the
mining operations shall be obliged immediately to report the

fact to the agencies regulating the utilization and conservation
of water and shall take measures in the established procedure
to conserve the subterranean water.
Self-pumping boreholes shall be subject to being fitted with
regulatory devices, shut temporarily, or eliminated in the pro-
cedure established by USSR and RSFSR legislation.
Water intake systems for subterranean water which are with-
in the jurisdiction of enterprises, organizations, and institu-
tions must be fitted with devices for systematic observation of
the water level and with meters to measure the flow in the pro-
cess of use.
Chapter XXVII: Prevention and Elimination of

the Harmful Effects of Water
Article 101. Duties of enterprises, organizations, and insti-

tutions to prevent and eliminate the harmful effects of water.
Enterprises, organizations, and institutions shall be obliged to
take measures to prevent and eliminate by agreement with
agencies regulating the utilization and conservation of water,
executive committees of local soviets of working people's
deputies, and other state agencies concerned, or according to
the directions of duly authorized state agencies, harmful ef-
fects of water from:
inundation, flooding, and saturation;
breaking of banks, dikes, and other structures;
waterlogging and salinization of land;
soil erosion, formation of ravines, landslides, flood streams,
and other harmful phenomena.
Article 102. Urgent measures to prevent and eliminate natu-
ral calamities caused by the harmful effects of water. Urgent
measures to prevent and eliminate natural calamities caused
by the harmful effects of water shall be implemented by flood
or other special commissions set up by the RSFSR Council of
Ministers, the councils of ministers of autonomous republics,
or the executive committees of local soviets of working peo-
ple's deputies.
WINTER 1972-73
The recommendations of these commissions shall be binding

on all enterprises, organizations, institutions, and citizens.
Article 103. Planning of measures to prevent and eliminate
the harmful effects of water. Provision shall be made for
measures to prevent and eliminate the harmful effects of water
in the state plans for the development of the national economy.
PART IV: STATE RECORDING AND

PLANNING OF WATER UTILIZATION
Article 104. Tasks of state recording and planning of water

utilization. The tasks of state recording of water and water
utilization are to determine the quantity and quality of water
and data on the utilization of water for the needs of the popula-
tion and the national economy.
Water utilization planning must ensure that water is scien-
tifically distributed among water users, having regard to the
priority satisfaction of the drinking and domestic water needs
of the population, conservation of water, and prevention of
harmful effects. In water utilization planning, data from the
State Water Register, water resources balances, and integrated
water utilization and conservation schemes shall be taken into
account.
Article 105. The State Water Register. The State Water
Register shall include qualitative and quantitative data on wa-
ter, water use registration, and data recording the utilization
of water.
Article 106. Water resources balances. In accordance with
and the Union Republics, water resources balances to evaluate
the presence and extent of utilization of water shall be com-
piled for basins, economic districts, union republics, and the
USSR as a whole.
Article 107. Integrated water utilization and conservation
schemes. General and basin (or territorial) schemes for the
integrated utilization and conservation of water shall define
the principal water conservancy and other measures subject
to implementation in order to satisfy the long-term water re-

quirements of the population and of the national economy, to
conserve water, and to prevent its harmful effects.
Article 108. Procedure for state recording of water and its
utilization, for managing the State Water Register, for com-
piling water resources balances, and for developing integrated
water utilization and conservation schemes. In accordance
with the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation of the
USSR and the Union Republics, the state recording of water and
its utilization, the management of the State Water Register,
the compilation of water resources balances, and the develop-
ment of integrated water utilization and conservation schemes
shall be at state expense, and the systems shall be unified for
the whole of the USSR.
The procedure for state recording of water and its utiliza-
tion, management of the State Water Register, compilation of
water resources balances, and development and confirmation
of integrated water utilization and conservation schemes shall
be established by the USSR Council of Ministers.
PART V: LIABILITY FOR VIOLATION

OF WATER LEGISLATION
Article 109. Invalidity of transactions violating the right of

state ownership of water. Reassignment of the right of water
use and other transactions directly or covertly violating the
right of state ownership of water shall be void.
Article 110. Criminal and administrative liability for viola-
tion of water legislation. Persons guilty of concluding the
transactions indicated in Article 109 of this code or of the fol-
lowing acts shall bear criminal or administrative liability in
accordance with USSR and RSFSR legislation:
unauthorized seizure of waters or unauthorized water use;
taking of water in violation of water use plans;
pollution and obstruction of water;
putting enterprises or municipal and other units into opera-
tion without structures and devices to prevent pollution and
WINTER 1972-73
obstruction of water or the harmful effects of water;

wasteful use of water (extracted or drained from waters);
violations of water conservation regime in catchments, caus-
ing pollution, soil erosion, or other harmful phenomena;
unauthorized hydraulic engineering or other works affecting
the state of water;
damaging water conservancy structures and devices;
violations of rules for operation of water conservancy struc-
tures and devices;
violations of rules (or conditions) for the use of waters for
sport and leisure established by the councils of ministers of
autonomous republics or by territory or regional soviets of
working people's deputies.
RSFSR legislation also may establish liability for other
forms of violations of water legislation.
Article 111. Application of measures of disciplinary or so-
cial pressure. Measures of disciplinary and social pressure
shall be applied in the established procedure against workers
who do not observe the rules for efficient utilization and con-
servation of water or who violate rights of other water users
which are protected by law.
Article 112. Return of waters seized without authority.
Waters which have been seized without authority shall be re-
turned according to their affiliation without compensation for
expenditure incurred during the time of illegal use.
Article 113. Compensation for losses caused as a result of
violations of water legislation. Enterprises, organizations,
institutions, and citizens shall be obliged to pay compensation
for losses caused by a violation of water legislation at the
rates and in the procedure established by USSR and RSFSR
legislation. Officials and other workers through whose fault
enterprises, organizations, and institutions have incurred ex-
penditures connected with the payment of compensation for
losses shall bear material liability in the established proce-
dure.
26. ON SUPPLEMENTARY MEASURES FOR THE SANITARY

PROTECTION OF WATER SOURCES AND ELIMINATION
OF POLLUTION
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, February 28,

1958, No. 194
SS RSFSR, Vol. VII, p. 294
[ Excerpt]
The Council of Ministers of the RSFSR decrees:

1. Councils of national economy shall be obliged to:
c) ensure systematic laboratory control over the operation

of installations for the purification of liquid waste at industrial
enterprises;
d) annually provide planning tasks to increase the qualifica-
tions of engineers and technicians in the operation of installa-
tions for the purification of industrial effluent, within the lim-
its of the plans for improvement in personnel skills and the
grants made for these purposes.
4. The councils of ministers of autonomous republics, terri-

tory and regional executive committees, the executive commit-
tees of cities subject to republic (RSFSR) subordination, coun-
cils of national economy, ministries and departments of the
RSFSR shall be obliged to:
a) work out and implement in industrial enterprises specific
measures to reduce the loss of valuable products with effluent
and to change production technology with a view to reducing
the pollution of effluent discharged into waters;
b) charge the design organizations and institutes which de-
sign installations for the purification of liquid waste with car-
rying out design supervision over the construction of these
installations.
6. The Ministry of Health of the RSFSR shall establish

strict control over the sanitary protection of waters.
WINTER 1972-73
27. ON MEASURES TO REGULATE THE UTILIZATION

AND INTENSIFY THE CONSERVATION OF WATER
RESOURCES OF THE RSFSR
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, August 6,

1960, No. 1250
SP RSFSR (1960), No. 28, item 133
[Excerpt]
Pursuant to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the

USSR of April 22, 1960, No. 425, and with a view to regulating
the integrated utilization and conser vation of the water re-
sources of the RSFSR, and also to eliminating the pollution of
waters as quickly as possible, the Council of Ministers of the
RSFSR decrees:
2. To oblige, beginning in 1961, the State Planning Commis-

sion of the RSFSR, the Supreme Council of the National Econ-
omy, councils of ministers of autonomous republics, territory
and regional executive committees, the Moscow and Leningrad
City Executive Committees, ministries and departments of the
RSFSR, and councils of national economy to provide for the al-
location of capital investment and material and technical re-
sources specifically designated to implement measures for
the efficient utilization of water resources and to eliminate
the pollution of waters, having made a register of all industrial
enterprises and other units which pollute water sources.
3. Councils of ministers of autonomous republics, territory
and regional executive committees, the Moscow and Leningrad
City Executive Committees, ministries and departments of the
RSFSR, and councils of national economy shall be obliged:
b) not to permit an increase at operating enterprises in the

amount of liquid waste and effluent or any deterioration in its
quality unless all necessary technical measures have first been
taken to purify and treat the liquid waste and other effluent;
c) to prohibit the cutting of timber above planned levels in

mountain forests which are of importance in water retention
and which ensure the restoration of vegetation, above all of
forest, as the most effective means of combating soil erosion;
d) to ensure within 3 years that all water conservancy in-
stallations have been put into good order, regularly carry out
dredging, watercourse improvement, and other essential
works, and clear alluvial deposits from rivers, canals, ponds,
reservoirs, and other waters;
e) not to permit the acceptance and commencement of tem-
porary or permanent operation of enterprises, workshops, and
production units which discharge liquid waste, unless measures
have been taken to purify such waste. These enterprises, work-
shops, and production units shall be permitted to start work
only with the permission of the State Sanitary Inspectorate.
Bonuses shall be awarded to managerial workers in con-
struction organizations for bringing into operation on schedule
or ahead of schedule enterprises, workshops, and other instal-
lations which discharge liquid waste, provided that the princi-
pal waste treatment and purification units are brought into
operation at the same time.
28. ON THE PROCEDURE FOR DRAWING UP MATERIALS

TO BE USED IN RENDERING DECISIONS ON THE
IMPOSITION OF FINES ON OFFICIALS AS AN AD-
MINISTRATIVE PENALTY
Confirmed by the State Committee for Water Conservation of

the RSFSR Council of Ministers (now the Ministry of Soil
and Water Conservation of the RSFSR), July 20, 1962,
No. KS-65-I
Blinov, p. 300
A procedure has been established in accordance with prevail-

ing legislation by an order of the president of the State Commit-
tee of the RSFSR Council of Ministers for Water Conservation,
WINTER 1972-73
July 7, 1962, No. 125, whereby a reasoned decree based on a

certificate of verification shall be rendered in order to impose
a fine on officials for violation of water resources conserva-
tion and utilization rules.
The following forms of the said documentation are being
sent to you for guidance, in order to establish uniformity and
the correct formulation of the certificates and decrees:
1. Form of certificates of verifications carried out by repre-
sentatives of the State Committee for Water Conservation of
the RSFSR, its basin inspectorates, the water conservancy ad-
ministrations (or divisions) of autonomous republic councils
of ministers, and the water conservancy administrations (or
divisions) of the executive committees of territory and regional
soviets of working people's deputies.
The certificates shall be drawn up when making verifications
in those instances when there is a violation of government de-
crees and decisions on measures to regulate the utilization of
water resources and to intensify their conservation, or of pre-
vailing rules for water resources utilization and protection
from pollution by liquid waste. Measures to curtail the pollu-
tion of waters may be included in the certificate, or a separate
list may be attached to it.
The certificate shall be the document on the basis of which
the decision on the imposition of a fine on an official for a vio-
lation of water resources conservation and utilization rules is
rendered. In the event of an appeal against the decree, this
document will be submitted to the People's Court when the
question is considered; the attention of the persons making
the verifications must therefore be drawn to the necessity for
careful processing of the certificates so that they meet the re-
quirements set out in Articles 20, 21, and 23 of the statute on
administrative commissions mentioned in paragraph 4 of this
letter.
2. Form of information on officials of the unit being checked.
The said information shall be attached to the certificate in
those instances in which it is intended to submit the materials
of a verification to the State Committee for Water Conservation
of the RSFSR or to the committee's basin inspectorate to con-

sider the question of rendering a decree on the imposition of
a fine.
3. Forms of decrees on the imposition of a fine rendered
by the directorate of the State Committee for Water Conserva-
tion of the RSFSR or the heads of basin inspectorates.
The heads of water conservancy administrations (or divi-
sions) shall submit to the heads of the appropriate basin in-
spectorates or to the State Committee for Water Conservation
of the RSFSR the materials on violations of water resources
conservation and utilization rules, with proposals concerning
the imposition of fines on officials as an administrative penalty.
4. At the same time, the Gazette of the Presidium of the
RSFSR Supreme Soviet (1962, No. 13), which includes the
"Statute on Administrative Commissions Attached to Executive
Committees of District and City Soviets of Working People's
Deputies of the RSFSR and on the Procedure in Cases of Ad-
ministrative Violations," shall be sent to basin inspectors for
guidance in the consideration of cases connected with the im-
position of fines.
The water conservancy administrations (or divisions) should
make use of the appropriate Gazettes, which have been dis-
tributed to the executive committees of soviets of working peo-
ple's deputies in the established procedure.
29. ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FINES FOR THE

VIOLATION OF WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION
AND UTILIZATION RULES
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, February 18,

1963, No. 204
SP RSFSR (1963), No. 5, item 28
For the purpose of intensifying the struggle against the pol-

lution and obstruction of surface and subterranean waters and
other violations of water resources conservation and utilization
WINTER 1972-73
rules, the RSFSR Council of Ministers decrees:

To establish that fines shall be imposed in an administrative
procedure on the directors and other officials of enterprises,
institutions, and organizations and on individual citizens who
are guilty of polluting or obstructing surface or subterranean
waters with unpurified liquid waste or effluent or of other vio-
lations of water resources conservation and utilization rules.
Fines of up to 50 rubles shall be imposed on officials, and of
up to 10 rubles on individual citizens.
The fines shall be imposed by the head of the Water Re-
sources Conservation Administration of the State Committee
for Water Conservation of the RSFSR and by the heads of basin
water resources utilization and conservation inspectorates at-
tached to the State Committee for Water Conservation of the
RSFSR, in the procedure established by the "Statute on Admin-
istrative Commissions Attached to Executive Committees of
RSFSR District and City Soviets of Working People's- Deputies
and on the Procedure in Cases of Administrative Violations,"
confirmed by the edict of the Presidium of the RSFSR Supreme
Soviet, March 30, 1962.
30. ON MEASURES FOR THE CURTAILMENT OF POLLU-

TION OF MOSCOW RIVERS AND OF OTHER WATERS
OF THE CITY OF MOSCOW AND THE MOSCOW RE-
GION BY UNPURIFIED LIQUID WASTES
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, August 28,

1963, No. 1059
SS RSFSR, Vol. VIII, p. 297
[ Excerpt]
The Council of Ministers of the RSFSR notes that the Mos-

cow Council of National Economy, the Moscow City Council of
National Economy, the Moscow City Executive Committee, and
the Moscow Region Industrial Executive Committee are
unsatisfactorily fulfilling the decrees of the Council of Minis-

ters of the USSR, April 22, 1960, No. 425, and of the Council
of Ministers of the RSFSR, August 6, 1960, No. 1250, with re-
gard to the regulation of the utilization and intensification of
the conservation of water resources, and are not exercising
proper control over the observance of periods for the construc-
tion of installations for the purification and treatment of indus-
trial and domestic liquid wastes and for the utilization of capi-
tal investments annually provided for these purposes.
The directors of many industrial enterprises are not effectu-
ating necessary measures for the purification and treatment
of liquid wastes, for the improvement of production technology
with a view to creating a recycled water supply, for reducing
the amount of water consumed or extracting from liquid wastes
useful industrial raw materials and valuable products, and they
have not organized systematic control over the operation of
purification and treatment devices.
The waters of the Moscow Region also are being polluted by
industrial and domestic liquid wastes from enterprises and
vessels of the Ministry of the River Fleet of the RSFSR.
For the purpose of curtailing the pollution of Moscow rivers
and waters of the city of Moscow and the Moscow Region by
unpurified liquid wastes, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR
decrees:
1. The Moscow Council of National Economy, the Moscow
City Council of National Economy, and the Moscow Region In-
dustrial Executive Committee shall be obliged:
a) to verify the state of purification installations at operating
enterprises, to work out and effectuate in 1963-1964 measures
aimed at regulating and improving the technological processes
with a view to curtailing the discharge of valuable raw materi-
als and products in liquid wastes, to create a recycled water
supply and an economic expenditure of water resources, as
well as a more effective utilization of purification installations;
b) to consider the question of the course of construction of
sewage systems and purification installations at each enter-
prise and to take measures ensuring the unconditional fulfillment
WINTER 1972-73
of the plan for constructing and introducing these installations

into operation established for 1963.
6. The Moscow Council of National Economy, the Moscow

City Council of National Economy, the Ministry of the River
Fleet of the RSFSR, and enterprises and organizations of other
ministries and departments having transport, passenger, and
technical vessels shall be prohibited:
from discharging refuse, sweetened waters, domestic waters,
and waters containing oil products into the Moscow and Oka
Rivers and other waters from vessels;
to unload sludge extracted from the bed of the Moscow and
lauza Rivers at other than established places.
The State Committee for Water Conservation of the RSFSR
shall bring to administrative responsibility directors of enter-
prises, steamship authorities, and masters of vessels for vio-
lation of the established procedure for the discharge'of refuse,
sweetened waters, domestic sewage, and waters containing oil
products from vessels into the Moscow and Oka Rivers and
other waters, as well as for unloading sludge from vessels at
other than established places.
9. Control over the fulfillment of the present decree shall

be entrusted to the State Committee for Water Conservation
of the RSFSR.
31. ON MEASURES FOR THE CURTAILMENT OF

POLLUTION OF WATERS OF THE OB-
IRTYSHSKIU BASIN BY UNPURIFIED LIQUID
WASTES
Decree of the Council of Ministers. of the RSFSR, September 9,

1963, No. 1094
[ Excerpt]
With a view to curtailing the pollution of waters of the Ob-

Irtyshskii Basin by unpurified liquid wastes, the Council of
Ministers of the RSFSR decrees:
1. The Western Siberia, Kuzbass, South Ural, and Mid-Ural
Councils of National Economy, and the Novosibirsk, Kemerovsk,
Omsk, Tiumen, Sverdlovsk, Kurgan Industrial, and the Tomsk
Region Executive Committees shall be obliged:
e) to ensure the undeviating fulfillment of the decree of the

Council of Ministers of the USSR of April 22, 1960, No. 425,
wherein the acceptance and introduction into permanent or
temporary use of enterprises, workshops, and production units
discharging liquid wastes is prohibited without fulfillment of
the measures ensuring the purification and treatment of such
waters.
6. The Western Siberian, Kuzbass, South Ural, and Mid-Ural

Councils of National Economy, the Ministry of the River Fleet
of the RSFSR, and enterprises and organizations of other min-
istries and departments having transport, passenger, and tech-
nical vessels shall be prohibited from discharging refuse,
sweetened waters, domestic sewage, and liquid wastes contain-
ing oil products from vessels into the rivers of the Ob-
Irtyshskii Basin.
The RSFSR State Water Conservancy Committee shall bring
to administrative responsibility the directors of enterprises,
steamship authorities, and masters of vessels for violation of
the established procedure for the discharge of refuse, sweet-
ened waters, domestic sewage, and liquid wastes containing
oil products from vessels into the rivers of the Ob-Irtyshskii
Basin.

of the RSFSR.
WINTER 1972-73
32. ON MEASURES FOR THE CURTAILMENT OF POLLU-

TION OF THE VOLGA AND DON RIVERS BY UNPURI-
FIED LIQUID WASTES
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, December 31,

1964, No. 1646
[ Excerpt]
The basins of the Volga and Don Rivers, being of important

significance for the national economy, continue to be polluted
by unpurified liquid wastes from industrial enterprises, sew-
age from cities and centers of population, discharges from
river transport vessels, and sunken timber.
With a view to curtailing the pollution of the basins of the
Volga and Don Rivers by unpurified liquid wastes and to utilizing
rationally water resources for the needs of the population, in-
dustry, and agriculture, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR
decrees:
1. ...
d) ... Ministries and departments of the RSFSR shall in-

clude, in the established procedure, capital investments for
the construction of sewage systems and purification installa-
tions for industrial and domestic liquid waste in the financial
estimates for the construction, expansion, and conversion of
enterprises;
e) the use by enterprises and organizations of capital invest-
ments, materials, and equipment allocated for the construction
of sewage systems and purification installations for industrial
and domestic liquid wastes for other purposes shall not be
permitted.
f) the undeviating fulfillment of the decree of the Council of
Ministers of the USSR of April 22, 1960, No. 425, wherein the
acceptance and introduction into temporary or permanent use
of enterprises, workshops, and production units which dis-
charge liquid wastes shall be prohibited without fulfilling the
measures ensuring the purification and treatment of such wa-

ters, shall be guaranteed.
2. The Ministry of Health of the RSFSR and the State Com-
mittee for Water Conservation of the RSFSR shall be obliged
to intensify control over the sanitary state of water and the
construction of installations for the purification of liquid
wastes at enterprises and in cities, and shall not permit the
introduction into permanent or temporary use of industrial or
municipal enterprises without fulfillment of the necessary
measures for the purification and treatment of liquid wastes.
5. The Ministry of Construction of the RSFSR and its chief

administrations for construction in economic regions shall be
obliged:
a) to ensure the fulfillment of the construction of sewage
systems and purification installations for the purification of
industrial and domestic liquid wastes at enterprises of coun-
cils of national economy and in the cities and workers' settle-
ments provided by the present decree, within the limits of an-
nually established plans for subcontracted construction.and
assembly work;
b) to consider and decide the question of the creation within
the jurisdiction of the chief construction administrations in
economic regions, where this is necessary, of specialized or-
ganizations for the construction of sewage systems and water-
pipe installations.

of the RSFSR and the Ministry of Health of the RSFSR.
WINTER 1972-73
33. ON MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE UTILIZATION AND

CONSERVATION OF SUBTERRANEAN WATER ON THE
TERRITORY OF THE RSFSR
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, September 13,

1965, No. 1063
[ Excerpt]
For the purpose of improving the utilization and conserva-

tion of subterranean water, the Council of Ministers of the
RSFSR decrees:
2. To oblige councils of national economy, the Ministry of

Health of the RSFSR, the State Committee for Land and Water
Conservation of the RSFSR, the councils of ministers of au-
tonomous republics, territory and regional executive commit-
tees, and the Moscow and Leningrad City Executive Committees
to establish strict control over the sanitary state of subterra-
nean water intakes, not permitting the pollution of subterra-
nean water by unpurified liquid wastes or the acceptance into
operation of wells without proper equipment.
5. The State Committee for Land and Water Conservation

of the RSFSR and the State Committee for Industrial Geology
of the RSFSR shall be obliged jointly to implement measures
to cap gushing wells, installing valve and diaphragm flow
regulators.
6. Control over the fulfillment of this decree shall be en-
trusted to the State Committee for Industrial Geology of the
RSFSR and the State Committee for Land and Water Conserva-
tion of the RSFSR.
34. ON SHORTCOMINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF

INSTALLATIONS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF INDUS-
TRIAL LIQUID WASTES AND ATMOSPHERIC WASTES
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR,

September 18, 1965, No. 1104
[ Excerpt]
The Council of Ministers of the RSFSR notes that there are

serious shortcomings in the cause of protecting the water and
atmosphere from being polluted by industrial liquid wastes
and atmospheric wastes.
The directors of a number of councils of national economy,
ministries, and departments of the RSFSR, autonomous repub-
lican councils of ministers, territory and regional executive
committees, and enterprises are not devoting proper attention
to these problems.
Construction organizations of the Ministry of Construction
of the RSFSR are not fulfilling planning tasks for the construc-
tion and introduction into use of sewage systems or purifica-
tion or dust-catching installations, and they permit low quality
construction and turn over these installations unfinished.
For the purpose of eliminating serious shortcomings in the
construction of installations for the purification of industrial
liquid wastes and of gas-purification and dust-catching de-
vices at industrial enterprises of the RSFSR, of improving the
planning of measures for the protection of waters and the at-
mosphere from being polluted by industrial liquid wastes and
atmospheric wastes, and of intensifying control over the ful-
fillment of these measures, the Council of Ministers of the
RSFSR decrees:
1. Councils of national economy, ministries and departments
of the RSFSR, autonomous republican councils of ministers,
and the executive committees of territories, regions, Moscow,
and Leningrad shall be obliged:
WINTER 1972-73
a) to ensure strict fulfillment of the decree of the Council

of Ministers of the USSR of April 22, 1960, No. 425, and of
October 18, 1963, No. 1078, and not to permit the introduction
into operation of new enterprises, workshops, and production
units without the necessary installations for the purification
of industrial liquid wastes and gas-purification and dust-
catching devices.
Strict control shall be established over the fulfillment of
planning tasks for the construction of purification installations
for industrial liquid wastes and gas-purification and dust-
catching devices at newly built enterprises, and if the con-
struction of these units lags, effective measures shall be taken
to eliminate it and, in special instances, to report to the Coun-
cil of Ministers of the RSFSR.
4. Councils of national economy, ministries and departments

of the RSFSR, and executive committees of local soviets of
working people's deputies shall be obliged not to permit the
use for other purposes of capital investments, materials, and
equipment allotted for the construction of sewage systems and
installations for the purification of industrial and domestic
liquid wastes and atmospheric wastes by enterprises and orga-
nizations.
7. The Council of National Economy of the RSFSR, councils

of national economy, ministries, and departments of the RSFSR,
autonomous republican councils of ministers, and executive
committees of territories, regions, Moscow, and Leningrad
shall be obliged to provide, beginning in 1966, for the allot-
ment of necessary capital investments in annual national eco-
nomic plans and entitled lists for the construction of sewage
systems and purification installations for liquid wastes, as
well as for gas-purification and dust-catching devices at oper-
ating, converted, and newly built enterprises at an individual
building, within the limits of the amount of capital investment
established for the corresponding branches of the national
economy.
10. For the purpose of ensuring the uninterrupted and more

effective work of operating purification installations for indus-
trial liquid wastes and atmospheric wastes at councils of na-
tional economy, ministries, and departments of the RSFSR, a
technical supervision service over the work of these installa-
tions shall be organized in 1965 at the largest enterprises.
12. The Ministry of Health of the RSFSR and the State Com-
mittee for Water Conservation of the RSFSR shall be obliged
to intensify control over the fulfillment of planning tasks for
the construction of purification installations for industrial
liquid wastes and gas-purification and dust-catching devices
at industrial enterprises, which is provided for by the national
economic plans and decrees of the government.
35. ON THE INTENSIFICATION BY BASIN WATER RE-

SOURCES UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION IN-
SPECTORATES AND THEIR HYDROLOGICAL
LABORATORIES OF STATE SUPERVISION OF THE
EFFICIENT UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION OF
WATER RESOURCES
Order of the Minister of Soil and Water Conservation of the

RSFSR, August 12, 1967, No. 296
Blinov, p. 299
[Excerpt]
There has recently been a sharp increase in the number of

cases of sustained discharge of unpurified industrial effluent,
from storage tanks in the majority of cases, by enterprises
and organizations situated on the territory of the Russian
Federation.
The basin water resources utilization and conservation in-
spectorates of the ministry, though among the principal
WINTER 1972-73
agencies which have been entrusted by the decree of the USSR

Council of Ministers of April 22, 1960, No. 425, with state
supervision of the planned utilization of surface and subterra-
nean water on the territory of the republic to protect it from
depletion, obstruction, and pollution, by industrial,, domestic,
and other liquid waste and discharges,, in a number of instances
struggle weakly to put the RSFSR Nature Conservation Law
into effect and are unscrupulous and complacent in regard to
facts of pollution of water sources by industrial enterprises.
The basin inspectorates are not doing enough to involve the
public in the cause of water resources conservation. Up to the
present, water resources conservation posts based on social
principles have not been set up at many enterprises. In a num-
ber of inspectorates, workers in the hydrological laboratories
do not participate as they should in verifications of enterprises
in relation to the utilization and conservation of waters.
Not all basin inspectorates have established day-to-day con-
trol over the condition of water sources in areas where espe-
cially dangerous enterprises are situated, in particular [in
areas] of liquid waste discharge and water resources pollution.
In order to intensify the state supervision of the efficient
utilization and conservation of water resources by basin water
resources utilization and conservation inspectorates, in execu-
tion of the decision of the Ministry Collegium of June 15, 1967,
I make this order:
1. The heads of basin water resources utilization and con-
servation inspectorates shall:
direct workers in basin inspectorate hydrological labora-
tories to verify the work of enterprises and organizations in
matters of conservation and utilization of water resources;
organize social water resources conservation posts at enter-
prises and organizations which are especially dangerous in
the sense of water pollution;
establish more effective contact. in. work with agencies of
the Committee of People's Control, public health, fishery pro-
tection, and the hydrometeorological services;
immediately inform the! Ministry of Soil and Water
Conservation of the RSFSR of all extraordinary instances of

pollution and obstruction of water resources by industrial ef-
fluent and other liquid waste and discharges, while simultane-
ously taking the necessary measures on the spot;
bring pressure to bear on design organizations in the con-
sideration of water-consumption and drainage projects, with a
view to introducing into production technology every possible
waterless process, water recirculation systems, air cooling,
and the like, and as a rule shall not permit liquid waste stor-
age tanks to appear in designs or in construction;
sharply increase the pressure on the directors of enter-
prises who do not fulfill the instructions of inspectorates to
improve the operation of purification installations and treat-
ment systems.
3. Basin inspectorates shall have the right, jointly with
agencies of the sanitary and epidemiological services, to sus-
pend the work of individual operating enterprises, workshops,
production units, offices, and other organizations if they are
not fulfilling the Law of Nature Conservation in the RSFSR and
decrees of the government on implementing measures to en-
sure the purification and treatment of liquid waste.
36. CRIMINAL CODE OF THE RSFSR
Adopted October 27, 1960
[Excerpt]
Chapter 10: Crimes Against Public Security,

Public Order, and Health of the Population
Article 223. Pollution of water or air. Polluting rivers,

lakes, or other waters or water sources with unpurified or un-
treated liquid wastes, or with garbage or refuse of industrial,
WINTER 1972-73
agricultural, municipal, or other enterprises, institutions, or

organizations, which has caused or is capable of causing harm
to human health or to agricultural production or fish stocks,
or polluting the air with refuse from manufacturing production
which is harmful for human health, shall be punished by cor-
rectional tasks for a term not exceeding one year or by a fine
not exceeding 300 rubles.
The same actions which have caused material harm to human
health or to agricultural production, or which have entailed a
mass fish kill, shall be punished by deprivation of freedom for
a term not exceeding 5 years. [As amended by edict of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, May 21, 1970.
Vedomosti RSFSR (1970), No. 22, item 441.]
Procuratorial Supervision of Water Legislation
37. SUPERVISION OVER THE EXECUTION OF

CONSERVATION LAWS
Sotsialisticheskaia zakonnost', 1971, No. 5, p. 86
In October 1970, in connection with signals concerning the

pollution of the Kama and Gaiva Rivers by industrial wastes
from the Perm high-voltage regulator plant, the Procuracy of
the Perm Region verified how the Law on Conservation is being
executed at this enterprise.
The verification showed that one cause of the river pollution
was the unsatisfactory maintenance and utilization of purifica-
tion installations at the enterprise through the fault of the
plant director, I. Shalgin.
The Procurator of the Perm Region, being guided by Ar-
ticle 15 of the Statute on Procuracy Supervision in the USSR,
rendered a decree to initiate a disciplinary prosecution in
respect of I. Shalgin. The decree points out that the flowing
sediment units installed to purify liquid wastes did not work

at the Perm high-voltage regulator plant. The laboratory did
not supervise the work of the sediment units. If the sediment
units had been opened, the production sediments would go to-
gether with conditionally purified waters into a ravine, where
they pass through 2 storage ponds and then into the Gaiva
River. However, the storage ponds were full of deposits, and
the water did not remain there. Proposals by the inspectorates
of December 2, 1967, February 9, 1968, and July 30, 1970, to
eliminate the violations were not fulfilled. In particular, the
discharge of oil into the sewage system was not curtailed, the
storage pond was not fully purged of the oil layer, and there
was no laboratory supervision over the purity of liquid wastes
discharged. Instead of 2 analyses monthly at the enterprise in
the current year, only 2 analyses were made for 8- months.
In his explanation, the plant director I. Shalgin acknowledged
the fact of river pollution and that proper measures to purify
the liquid wastes had not been taken.
One cause of the discharge of unpurified wastes was the in-
adequate effectiveness of the purification installations operat-
ing at the plant.
The Procuracy of the USSR supported the decree of the pro-
curator of the Perm Region and sent it for the consideration
of the Ministry of the Electronics Industry of the USSR.
For the violation of the Law on Nature Conservation in the
RSFSR, a reprimand was announced on November 30, 1970,
for the director of the Perm high-voltage regulator plant,
I. Shalgin, by Order of the Ministry of the Electronics Industry
of the USSR. "Glavizoliator" has promulgated an order of
December 1, 1970, concerning the improvement of the main-
tenance and utilization of installations for the purification and
treatment of liquid wastes of industrial enterprises. By this
order, the director of the Perm high-voltage regulator plant
was obliged to work out within a month organizational and tech-
nical measures to improve the utilization of operating purifica-
tion installations, to agree on them with the "Kamuralrybvod"
Inspectorate, to submit them for confirmation to "Glavizoliator,"
WINTER 1972-73
and to organize a systematic (not less than twice monthly) lab-

oratory control over the purification of discharged liquid
wastes. To ensure the purity for liquid wastes discharged that
is required by prevailing standards, a design for new purifica-
tion installations has been worked out at the Perm high-voltage
regulator plant. Its construction and introduction into opera-
tion is expected in 1971. The necessary resources have been
allocated to the plant by "Glavizoliator."
Editor's Note
Article 15 of the Statute on Procuracy Supervision in the

USSR provides: "In regard to officials or citizens who have
violated the law, a procurator, depending on the nature of the
violation, shall either bring the guilty persons to criminal re-
sponsibility or shall take measures to bring the offender to
administrative or disciplinary responsibility. In necessary
instances, a procurator shall take measures to ensure com-
pensation for material damage caused by a violation of the law.
38. GUARDING THE CONSERVATION LAWS
Sotsialisticheskaia zakonnost', 1972, No. 8, p. 90
The Procurator of Leningrad has verified the facts of the

discharge by an enterprise of a significant amount of oil prod-
ucts into the waters of the Obvodnyi Canal. Explanations were
demanded from officials of the enterprise. It appeared that
the intensive pollution of the canal waters by oil products was
a consequence of a flagrant violation of the utilization of the
pumping station for black oil and the disrepair of the heating
system (coils). This led to black oil overflowing into the oil
trap and its being subsequently pumped into the city sewage
system. As R., a master of black oil, explained, about 10 tons
of black oil went into the sewer system, 6 tons of which was
recovered. The directors of the enterprise had not ensured
the proper purification of sediments, which were not subjected

to chemical analysis and were discharged without control.
The procurator has initiated a criminal proceeding with re-
gard to this violation of the conservation laws.
Legislative History of Water Legislation
39. REPORT OF V. A. KIRILLIN TO THE USSR

SUPREME SOVIET, SEPTEMBER 19, 1972
Zasedaniia verkhovnogo soveta SSSR, vos'mogo sozyva, chet-

vertaia sessia (19-20 sentiabria 1972 g.) (Moscow, 1972),
pp. 16-40
[Excerpts]
Questions of protecting waters from pollution are of exceed-

ingly important significance. Many countries of the world, even
those richest in water, today are feeling an acute water shortage
in certain industrial and agricultural areas. Ensuring pure
fresh water and protecting waters from pollution according to
law are regarded as some of the most acute modern-day prob-
lems.
The basic reason for the pollution of water basins is the dis-
charge into waters of unpurified or inadequately treated liquid
wastes by industrial enterprises, municipalities, and agriculture.
It has been estimated, for example, that if a city consumes
600,000 cubic meters of water daily, it at the same time gives
about 500,000 cubic meters of liquid wastes. The inefficient
conducting of agriculture also promotes pollution of water
sources. Residues of fertilizers and pesticides washed from
the soil fall into the waters and pollute them.
The fluorescence of waters, the development of algae, a sharp
reduction in the oxygen content of water, and a violation of the
biological regime of waters is one consequence of the discharge
WINTER 1972-73
of inadequately purified waters and the inefficient organization

of reservoirs. These undesirable processes are furthered by
the so-called thermal pollution of rivers and waters, which
arises in consequence of the discharge by industrial enterprises,
especially by thermoelectric power stations, of significant quan-
tities, in greater or lesser degree, of warm water.
The deficit of pure fresh water has led to the emergence of a
large number of proposals for new sources to obtain it, from
towing arctic icebergs to utilizing moisture contained in the
atmosphere. It should be noted, however, that the realization
of the majority of these proposals could result in a severe in-
fringement of the biospheric equilibrium and is connected with
great difficulties. The problem of desalinizing sea water
regularly arouses great interest, as does the development of
economically efficient methods of obtaining pure fresh water.
However, even were methods for obtaining new stocks of fresh
water not proposed, the efficient utilization of the waters of
rivers and lakes, without doubt, would remain the primary
orientation for solving the problem.
In speaking of conservation of water resources, one must
note the urgency of the struggle against pollution of the waters
of seas and oceans. The problem of protecting the oceans of
the world from pollution by oil, heavy metals, chioro-organic
combinations, and radioactive and other toxic substances is
arousing public opinion in many countries, and especially in
states with access to the sea or enclosed by the sea....
Allow me to recall the most important laws adopted in recent
years by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on questions relating
to the problem being discussed.
Among those laws are: the Fundamental Principles of Land
Legislation of the USSR and Union Republics, the Fundamental
Principles of the USSR and Union Republics on Public Health,
and the Fundamental Principles of Water Legislation of the
USSR and Union Republics. Laws on nature conservation were
adopted in the union republics.
The Central Committee of the CPSU and the government of
the Soviet Union adopted a number of decrees aimed at protec-
ting the human environment and improving the use of natural

resources. Decrees on measures to prevent the pollution of the
Caspian Sea, on the efficient utilization and protection of the
wealth of Lake Baikal, on preventing the pollution of the Volga
and Ural river basins, and others were adopted.
The scale of work provided by these decrees is enormous. In
15 cities located on the Volga and Kama alone, purification in-
stallations whose total cost exceeds 300 million rubles will be
constructed. About 700 million rubles will be spent during the
next four years to build at 421 enterprises installations for the
purification of industrial drainage that are equipped with effec-
tive automatic control and programming devices. By 1980 the
complete termination of discharges of unpurified and inadequately
purified municipal and domestic liquid wastes in all cities lo-
cated in the Volga and Ural river basins is contemplated.
At the present time, the concentration of oil products in the
Caspian Sea in the area of Sumgiat and Neftiannye kamni has
decreased 2.5 to 3 times in comparison with 1969.
The preservation of the unique natural wealth of Lake Baikal
has attracted great attention. Important measures aimed at re-
ducing the concentration of pollutants in industrial drainage of
the Baikal Cellulose Plant are being effectuated. The pollution
of the Selengi River is lower. The floating of timber along al-
most all rivers flowing into Lake Baikal has ceased, and clear-
ing them of sunken timber has been intensified. It is neces-
sary to intensify the work with a view to ceasing completely the
floating of timber along the Barguzin and Uda rivers.
Much work is being done in our country in the domain of ef-

ficient utilization of water resources and protecting them from
pollution.
The river drainage on the territory of the USSR in an average
water year is more than 4,700 cubic kilometers (about 12 per-
cent of the total world river drainage). It would appear that,
with such enormous resources, the questions of ensuring fresh
water should be solved without any difficulties whatever. How-
ever, the territorial distribution of water in the country is un-
WINTER 1972-73
equal. More than 80 percent of natural river drainage goes to

the economically less-developed northern and eastern areas of
the country, where only 15 percent of the population resides,
and only 20 percent to the populous areas, where about 85 per-
cent of the population resides. The difficulties of water supply,
particularly on the southern slope of the territory of the coun-
try where water resources are limited, also aggravate the un-
favorable internal distribution of drainage on the basic rivers
of the Soviet Union.
With a view toward ensuring water for the national economy,
a series of major measures have been effectuated. Canals whose
total length exceeds 3,700 kilometers have been built, providing
an interbasin redistribution of 40 cubic kilometers of river
drainage; more than 200 large water reservoirs have been
created, with a useable volume of about 400 cubic kilometers,
permitting regulation of river drainage; of these, 90 large
water reservoirs have been built attached to hydroelectric sta-
tions and have a useable volume of more than 360 cubic kilo-
meters. This useable volume increases the guaranteed river
drainage by 20-25 percent.
The water reservoirs created allow the efficient and inte-
grated use of water resources of basic rivers, particularly
rivers of the southern slope of the territory of the country.
The hydroelectric stations that have been built save about 45
million tons of fuel annually.
In recent years organizational and technical measures have
been effectuated on a large scale that are aimed at preventing
the pollution of waters. Water purification and other water in-
stallations are being built; standards for the expenditure of
water at individual production operations have been worked out.
The amount spent for the construction of such installations rose
from 245 million rubles in 1967 to 398 million rubles in 1971.
The problem of the economic expenditure of water by in-

dustrial enterprises deserves special attention. There are
greater opportunities to do this. Thus, for example, in design-
ing the "First of May" Chemical Combine, the Ministry of the
Chemical Industry has adopted a scheme for the purification

and utilization of liquid wastes which permits the requirement
for fresh water to be reduced by approximately 25 times and
wholly excludes the discharge of liquid wastes into open waters.
In so doing, the capital investments for the construction of the
combine were reduced.
The Ministry of the Oil Refining and Petrochemical Industry
of the USSR is successfully carrying on work to reduce the
water requirements of, and, consequently, the amount of indus-
trial drainage at oil refining enterprises. If at previously de-
signed plants the expenditure of fresh water per ton of refined
oil constituted: at the Novo-Iaroslavl Oil Refining Plant (1957
design), 7.97 cubic meters; Kirish (1960 design), 1.32 cubic
meters; Mozyr (1967 design), 0.84 cubic meters, then in sub-
sequent designs it was reduced to 0.24 cubic meters per ton of
oil. In the design of the Achinsk Oil Refining Plant the expendi-
ture of fresh water per ton of oil already is down to 0.12 cubic
meters. And the basic orientation of the design of the Vinnitsk
Oil Refining Plant provides for the complete exclusion of any
such discharges of industrial drainage.
There is no doubt that the creation of large water reservoirs

that have, as a rule, integrated national economic importance
is economically advantageous; but, as in carrying out any na-
tional economic measure, all relevant factors also must be
analyzed and weighed beforehand. Regrettably, this has not al-
ways been so. In constructing certain water reservoirs, be-
cause of inadequate study of a number of natural factors, the
scale of the development of mechanical and biological processes
in the water reservoirs was not fully taken into account, such
as destruction of shores, fluorescence of waters, the overgrowth
of shoals, changing conditions for the reproduction of fish, and
others. The consequences of flooding agricultural lands and of
draining nominal land into the tailwaters of hydroelectric sta-
tions, which previously had been wetted by high waters, have
notbeen fully appraised. These shortcomings must be eliminated.
Despite the great work carried out in our country with regard
WINTER 1972-73
to the purification of industrial and municipal drainage, there

are serious shortcomings in this important cause. The amount
of badly purified and even completely unpurified drainage is
still great.
The basic soures of pollution are liquid wastes of the oil-
refining, chemical',, cellulose-paper,, and metallurgical industry.
Navigation and the floating of timber also pollute waters. The
respective ministries must take effective measures to liquidate
this inadmissible situation.
A serious source of pollution of natural waters at. the present
time is, as already has been said, those waters which flow from
agricultural lands. These waters sometimes contain a signifi-
cant amount of natural salts washed away during irrigation, as
well as residues of fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture.
As already pointed out, pesticides are the most dangerous form
of pollution.
Combinations of phosphorous and nitrogen washed atway from
agricultural lands or contained in liquid wastes of industry and
cities, even having passed through biological purification, vio-
late the biological and hydrochemical regime established there-
in and reduce the water quality when they flow into water sources.
As already has been said, as a result of water pollution and
shortcomings in the construction of water reservoirs, micro-
scopic algae are developing intensively in rivers, and particu-
larly in lakes, ponds, and water reservoirs. To improve water
quality, it is necessary to prevent such processes and remove
the algae from waters. Removal of the algae can be effectuated
through biological reclamation by breeding fish in them (bull-
heads, white amur, and others), which feed on algae. Special-
ists estimate that this would permit the removal of a large
quantity of algae from reservoirs and the obtaining of an addi-
tional hundred thousand centners of fish.
The Ministry of Soil and Water Conservation of the USSR, the
Ministry of Power, and Electrification of the USSR, the Minis-
try of Agriculture of the USSR, the All-Union Academy of Agri-
cultural Sciences named V. I. Lenin, the Ministry of Fisheries
of the USSR, and the Ministry of the Chemical Industry of the
USSR must profoundly consider the aforesaid questions and take

necessary measures.
Editor's Note
V. A. Kirillin, a deputy of the Supreme Soviet elected from

the Andizhansk Electoral District in the Uzbek SSR, is the
Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. His
remarks were in support of a decree subsequently adopted by
the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on September 19, 1972, "On
Measures for the Further Improvement of the Conservation
and Efficient Utilization of Natural Resources," the full text of
which will appear in Vol. IX, No. 4 of this journal.
In furtherance of the above decree, on or about January 9,
1973, the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of
Ministers of the USSR adopted a joint decree concerning inten-
sification of conservation and improvement of the use of natural
resources. As summarized in Izvestia, in respect of water con-
servation the decree reportedly called upon the Ministry of Soil
and Water Conservation of the USSR to effectuate state control
over the efficient use of waters and to implement measures to
protect waters from pollution, obstruction, and depletion. The
Chief Administration of the Hydrometerological Service attached
to the Council of Ministers of the USSR was charged with orga-
nizing a national service to observe and supervise the level of
air, soil, and water pollution. The councils of ministers of the
union republics, jointly with the Ministry of Soil and Water Con-
servation of the USSR, the Ministry of Public Health of the
USSR, the Ministry of Fisheries of the USSR, and other minis-
tries and departments concerned, were obliged to work out
measures to wholly prevent untreated or inadequately treated
effluents from being discharged into river basins, especially
where pollution already is great or shortage of water is antici-
pated. See Izvestia, January 10, 1973, p. 1.

9 Soviet Stat Dec 105

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

9 Soviet Stat Dec 105

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DATE DOWNLOADED: Tue Mar 5 03:23:37 2024

SOURCE: Content Downloaded from HeinOnline

Bluebook 21st ed.

ALWD 7th ed.

APA 7th ed.

Chicago 17th ed.

McGill Guide 9th ed.

AGLC 4th ed.

MLA 9th ed.

OSCOLA 4th ed.

20. ON INTENSIFYING STATE CONTROL OVER THE

Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, September 4,

For the purpose of intensifying state control over the utiliza-

sewage by enterprises shall be prohibited in all instances in

Planning Commission and union republic councils of ministers

Note that this decree has been supplemented by paragraph 11

21. ON MEASURES TO REGULATE THE UTILIZATION

Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, April 22, 1960,

The prospect of broad development of the national economy,

pollution by industrial, domestic, and other liquid wastes and

f) state supervision of the recording and efficient utilization

and the working out of measures for the conservation of water

quality unless all necessary steps have first been taken to

10. The Ministry of Geology and Mineral Conservation of the

b) coordinate the annual and long-term plans for further

RSFSR Council of Ministers; and purity standards and regime

22. RULES FOR THE PROTECTION OF SURFACE WATER

Confirmed July 15, 1961, by the Ministry of Healthof the USSR

1. The purpose of the present rules is to prevent pollution

to be polluted if its composition or properties have been al-

8. Where it is necessary to drain off liquid wastes because

fix the amount (or limit) of harmful substances which it is per-

II. Water Quality Standards for Waters

14. Water quality standards for waters which must be main-

sport, and leisure activities, as well as water within the limits

III. Water Quality Standards for Waters

19. Quality standards for water which exclude the possibility

implementation of measures to ensure the quickest possible

IV. Protection of Waters from Pollution

24. Provision must be made in the drainage and sewage

V. Technical Conditions for the Discharge

29. A design for a sewage system or the purification, treat-

of domestic sewage and industrial effluent, the content of bac-

takes the liquid waste to the installations which purify and

treatment, and disinfection of liquid waste from new types

VI. Procedure for Agreement of Conditions for the

43. The conditions for the discharge of liquid waste from:

utilization and conservation agencies.

the right to demand the submission of supplementary ma-

resources utilization and conservation agencies:

VII. Procedure for Control

50. The director of the unit which discharges liquid waste

resources utilization and conservation agencies, with the direct

VIII. Responsibility for Fulfillment of the Rules

53. As with the making of the necessary analyses, all inves-

The relegation of waters to the category of fishing waters is

23. RULES FOR THE SANITARY PROTECTION OF COASTAL

Confirmed by the Main Sanitary and Epidemiological Adminis-

2. The rules shall extend to coastal areas of seas (water

24. ON MEASURES FOR THE PRESERVATION AND

Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, January 21,

Attaching particular importance to the preservation and ef-