The Right to Utilize and the Right to Consume Waters

The right to utilize and the right to consume water are not the same. The right to consume water involves the right on irretrievable use of water (irrigation), while the right to utilize involves the right on using water body (navigation).

The legal regime of water utilization and consumption depends on whether the watercourses and receivers are natural or man-made. Natural watercourses, lakes and other natural containers for collecting water, including beds for lesser quantities of water, as well as natural springs, public wells and public fountains are goods for general utilization.
Citizens have the right to utilize and consume waters from natural watercourses and receivers for their own purposes (for purposes not related to industry and without using specially devised equipment) free of charge.

In order to upgrade and maintain the water regime and the general consumption of waters, some fees to be paid by the water consumers can be introduced.

For all kinds of water consumption and utilization, the following principles apply:

• Every right to use waters must be exercised in a rational and cost–effective way with regards to conserving natural properties and profusion of the spring;
• The consumption of waters must be performed in accordance with the measures for regulation and protection of and against waters;
• The waters must be utilized in a complex and repetitive fashion.

All these principles are based on the fact that waters are goods of general interest.