Source: https://www.global-regulation.com/law/estonia/608893/public-water-supply-and-sewerage-act.html
Timestamp: 2020-03-31 00:57:57
Document Index: 132849771

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 61', '§ 8', '§ 72', '§ 12', '§ 151', '§ 152', '§ 151', '§ 151', '§ 154', '§ 63', '§ 155']

Public Water Supply And Sewerage Act (Estonia)
RT I 2000, 39, 238
RT I 2000, 102, 670
RT I 2001, 102, 668
RT I 2002, 41, 251
RT I 2003, 13, 64
10.07.2005, 01.01.2006
01.11.2010, partially 1.01.2011
(2) Structures and equipment for leading off rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water are deemed to be part of a public water supply and sewerage system unless the local government decides otherwise.
(3) The Minister of the Environment shall establish by a regulation the extent of a protection zone for public water supply and sewerage system on the basis of the purpose, location, installation depth and diameter of the structure.
(11) A local government shall administer the preparation of a public water supply and sewerage development plan.
(23) A public water supply and sewerage development plan shall be in accordance with the water management plan of the sub-river basin.
(4) The owner or possessor of a public water supply and sewerage system shall develop the system in the area serviced by the public water supply and sewerage system in a manner which ensures that all the registered immovables in the area are supplied with water from the public water supply and that waste water is led off from the registered immovables to the public sewerage system.
(1) The owner or possessor of a public water supply and sewerage system shall permit connection of the water supply facilities of registered immovables to the public water supply and of the sewerage facilities of registered immovables to the public sewerage system under the conditions provided by this Act and legislation established on the basis thereof.
1) the applicant's need for water cannot be satisfied from the public water supply without impairing the proper functioning thereof;
(3) A water undertaking shall compile the methodology for calculating connection charges in conformity with the provisions of this section. If the licensed territory of a water undertaking is situated in the waste water collection area with pollution load of less than 2000 population equivalent or outside a waste water collection area, the water company shall co-ordinate the methodology with the local government. If the licensed territory of a water undertaking is situated in the waste water collection area with pollution load of 2000 population equivalent or more, the water company shall co-ordinate the methodology with the Competition Authority. A water company shall disclose the methodology for calculating connection charges after obtaining the approval.
(4) If the licensed territory of a water company is situated in the waste water collection areas with pollution loads of both less than and more than 2000 population equivalent and the same methodology for calculating connection charges are used in these territories, the methods specified in subsection (3) of this section shall be co-ordinated with the Competition Authority in respect of all waste water collection areas.
(5) The provisions of subsections 142 (3)-(13) of this Act apply to the co-ordination of the methodology for calculating connection charges.
(7) If the public water supply and sewerage system, including rain water pipes, is being developed outside the public water supply and sewerage development plan on the basis of an application by a party connected or a third party and upon agreement with the water company and the owner of the public water supply and sewerage system, the expenses for such development and connection shall be covered to the full extent by the applicant.
§ 61. Set-off of connection charges
If a public water supply or sewerage system has been constructed only for the water company's client who has paid the connection charges to the full extent of the expenses incurred in connection because the water undertaking was not aware of any additional parties to be connected in the territory and additional clients connect to such public water supply and sewerage system within seven years, the water undertaking shall, within three months after the connecting of each new client, make a set-off for the parties connected that have previously paid the connection charges, pursuant to the expenses incurred in connection and the number of new clients connected to the public water supply or sewerage system and taking account of depreciation of fixed assets of the public water supply or sewerage system. The specified principle shall also be included in the methodology for calculating connection charges.
(12) A water undertaking shall be the provider of services of general interest within the meaning of the General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act.
(2) If a public water supply and sewerage system is in the ownership of a local government ownership, a water undertaking shall be appointed by a decision of the local government council on the basis of the provisions of subsection 14 (2) of the Competition Act.
(21) If the public water supply and sewerage system is in the ownership of a legal person in private law, the owner of the public water supply and sewerage system shall submit a proposal for appointing a water undertaking which shall be approved by the local government council.
4) providing of extra services related to the activities specified in clauses 1)-3) of this subsection;
§ 8. Extraction of water from public water supply and conducting waste water to public sewerage system
(1) For the purposes of this Act, "client of a water undertaking" means the owner or possessor of a registered immovable, a user of land on the basis of the right of superficies, or the owner or possessor of a structure which is a movable, on whose registered immovable the water supply or sewerage facilities are connected to a public water supply and sewerage system through a corresponding piping connection and with whom the water undertaking has entered into a contract for abstraction of water from the public water supply or for discharge of waste waters.
(2) In an area covered by a public water supply and sewerage system, clients have the right to receive water from the public water supply and conduct waste water to the public sewerage system.
(3) Water shall be extracted from a public water supply and waste water shall be conducted to a public sewerage system on the basis of a contract between a client and a water undertaking.
5) the definition of water abstracted without authorisation and of waste water, rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water discharged without authorisation and the procedure for determining the volume and cost thereof;
8) the minimum permitted limit value of water pressure at the point of connection to the public water supply depending on the overall height of buildings;
(5) If land is in common ownership, a written contract for abstraction of water of a public water supply or discharging waste water to the public sewerage system shall be entered into on the basis of a decision of a majority of the co-owners with their authorised representative pursuant to § 72 of the Law of Property Act. The corresponding water undertaking shall be one party to the contract and all co-owners of the registered immovable through an authorised representative shall be the other party.
(2) The requirements concerning hazardous substances conducted to the public sewerage system shall be established by a regulation of the Minister of the Environment.
(3) During elimination of damage caused by force majeure or an accident in the public water supply and sewerage system, a water undertaking has the right to restrict or suspend the supply of water from the public water supply to clients or the conduct of waste water to the public sewerage system pursuant to the procedure provided by the rules on use of the public water supply and sewerage system.
(1) "Water supply and sewerage facilities of a registered immovable" means a system of structures and equipment for supplying an immovable with water from the public water supply and conducting waste water to the public sewerage system. The water supply and sewerage facilities of a registered immovable are not part of the public water supply and sewerage system.
§ 12. Use of water supply and sewerage facilities of registered immovables in public interest
(3) The charges specified in clauses 2) and 3) of subsection (1) of this section for leading off and treatment of waste water, rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water may differ depending on the level of pollution of waste water, rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water. The charge for leading off and treatment of rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water may also differ depending on whether it is being conducted to a combined sewer system or to rainwater pipes. In addition to the prices for water services a charge for pollution exceeding the standard may be established if the content of pollutants, including hazardous substances, in the led off waste water, rain water, drainage water or other soil and surface water exceeds the maximum content of pollutants established by the rules on use of the public water supply and sewerage system or the contract on use of the public water supply and sewerage system entered into between the water company and the client or the maximum limit values of hazardous substances conducted to public sewerage system established pursuant to subsection 10 (2) of this Act.
(1) A water undertaking shall establish and disclose the prices for water services no later than thirty days before the prices become effective. After having adopted a decision on establishing the prices, the water undertaking shall publish a notice on establishing the prices on the website of the local government or on that of the water undertaking and once in at least one local or county newspaper.
(1) Water sold to a client from a public water supply shall be measured by a water meter installed by the water undertaking in the water supply facilities of the registered immovable unless the water undertaking and the client agree otherwise.
§ 151. Liability
(1) Unauthorised connection to the public water supply and sewerage system, unauthorised extraction of water from the public water supply, unauthorised leading off of waste water, rain water, drainage water and other soil and surface water via the public sewerage system, and conducting hazardous substances to the public sewerage system in quantities which exceed the limits provided for by or in a manner deviating from the provisions of legislation –
are punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units.
[RT I 2010, 56, 363 - entry into force 01.01.2011]
(3) The following cases are deemed to be the unauthorised connection to the public water supply and sewerage system or unauthorised use of the public water supply and sewerage system specified in subsection (1) of this section:
1) no corresponding contract has been entered into with the water undertaking;
3) a water or waste water meter verification seal is removed or spoiled;
(4) Establishment by a water undertaking of connection charges not conforming to the methodology for calculating connection charges or prices for water services not conforming to the requirements of law as well as violation of the requirements related to the obligations of accounting, providing of information or establishment of prices or connection charges or other requirements specified in the Act, which non-performance may hinder the regulating of prices for water services or supervision over the implementation of the Act
(5) Setting by a water undertaking of conditions not conforming to the requirements of this Act on a subscription contract or on a contract specified in subsection 8 (3) of this Act as well as violation of the rules specified in subsection 5 (21) or 8 (4) of this Act
§ 152. [Repealed - RT I 2005, 37, 280 - entry into force 01.01.2006]
(1) The provisions of the General Part of the Penal Code and of the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure apply to the misdemeanours provided for in § 151 of this Act.
(2) The rural municipality or city government shall conduct extra-judicial proceedings in the matters of the misdemeanours specified in subsections 151 (1), (2) and (5) of this Act and the Environmental Inspectorate shall conduct extra-judicial proceedings in the matters of the misdemeanours related to hazardous substances. The Competition Authority shall conduct extra-judicial proceedings in the matters specified in subsection 151 (4) if the licensed territory of a water undertaking is situated in the waste water collection area with pollution load of 2000 population equivalent or more and the rural municipality or city government and the Competition Authority shall conduct extra-judicial proceedings in the above matters if the licensed territory of a water undertaking is situated in the waste water collection area with pollution load of less than 2000 population equivalent or outside a waste water collection area.
(3) The Environmental Inspectorate shall conduct extra-judicial proceedings in the matters of the misdemeanours related to hazardous substances provided for in § 151 of this Act.
§ 154. Supervision
(1) Supervision over compliance with the requirements provided by this Act and legislation established on the basis thereof shall be exercised, pursuant to their competence, by the rural municipality or city government, the Competition Authority and the Environmental Inspectorate.
(2) Compliance of the prices for water services and the connection charges with law and the methodology specified in subsection 6 (3) of this Act shall be verified and decisions shall be made and precepts shall be issued thereon, pursuant to their competence, by the Competition Authority or the rural municipality or city government.
(3) Supplementary supervision over the connection charges or prices for water services shall be exercised by the Competition Authority either on its own initiative or on the basis of a reasoned request of a local government, the Ministry of the Environment or the Environmental Board. Upon exercising supervision the Competition Authority has the rights provided for in subsections 142 (7)-(9) of this Act and the obligation to keep the business secret of the water undertaking on the bases of and pursuant to the procedure provided for in § 63 of the Competition Act.
(4) The conformity of the activities of a water undertaking and of a client of a water undertaking to the requirements for handling hazardous substances shall be verified and decisions shall be made and precepts shall be issued thereon by the Environmental Inspectorate.
(5) The conformity of the activities of a water undertaking to this Act and the legislation of the local government, including the rules specified in subsections 5 (21) and 8 (4) of this Act and the public water supply and sewerage development plan, shall be verified and decisions shall be made and precepts shall be issued thereon by the rural municipality or city government.
(6) The rural municipality or city government shall verify the compliance of the prices for water services with the public water supply and sewerage development plan and oblige a water undertaking to submit an application to set prices if the prices for water services do not cover the expenses prescribed in the public water supply and sewerage development plan in conformity with this Act.
(7) Supervisory authorities shall use the information at their disposal solely for the performance of the functions arising from law.
§ 155. Precept and penalty payment
(1) In order to terminate or prevent violations of the requirements of this Act, the Competition Authority or the rural municipality or city government have the right, pursuant to their competence, to issue a precept for brining the connection charges or prices for water services into compliance with this Act and legislation established on the basis thereof.
(2) Upon failure to comply with a precept specified in subsection (1) of this section, an official exercising supervision may impose a coercive measure pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Substitutive Enforcement and Penalty Payment Act. The upper limit of penalty payment is 3200 euros.
[RT I 2010, 56, 363 - entry into force 01.11.2011]
(1) Until 31 December 2002 the amount of water sold from the public water supply may be calculated in accordance with the rules on use of the public water supply and sewerage system and the standards for water usage established by the local government council.
(7) Until implementation by a water undertaking of the methodology for calculation of connection charges in the procedure provided for in this Act, the bases of and procedure for calculating connection charges effective on 31 October 2010 established by the local government council in the rules for connection to the public water supply and sewerage system on the basis of clause 5 (21) 3) and subsection 6 (1) of this Act in the wording in force until 31 October 2010 shall apply.
(10) The Competition Authority shall establish the prices specified in subsection (9) of this section on the basis of the current price structure of the water undertaking, the justified expenses in the financial year preceding the year of issuing the precept and the justified rate of profitability. The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications shall establish by a regulation the conditions of and procedure for the establishment of prices for water services on the basis of the grounds provided for in this subsection.
2015 Water Management Services Act
2001 Water Supply Law
2011 The Provision of Water and Sewerage Services (Reasonable Cost) (Scotland) Regulations 2011