2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWELVE - Conservation (§§ 1-16 — 8162) › Subtitle 4A - Water Law (1976) › Chapter 118 - Conservation, Development and Use of Water Resources (§§ 1115 — 1115v) › § 1115b - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning stated below, unless within the context where they are used another meaning arises, or it is specifically otherwise indicated:
(a) Waters and bodies of water.— This term includes the surface, subterranean, coastal and any other waters within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. Except where specifically otherwise indicated, waters and bodies of water shall have the same meaning.
(b) Atmospheric waters.— All waters in aqueous steam suspended in the air in the form of clouds.
(c) Coastal waters.— Those of the sea within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and all such interior waters where the ebb and flow of the sea is sensed.
(d) Subterranean waters.— Those which are under the surface of the earth, under the bed of a river, stream or brook, or under the bottom of the sea, lake, dam or other body of water, irrespective of its origin or state, or of the geological formation or unit in which they happen to be, flow, percolate or move. Subterranean water is also that which exists in the interior of caves and caverns.
(e) Surface waters.— Those which flow continuously or discontinuously through natural or artificial channels or which emerge continuously or discontinuously in public or private lands or which are contained in lakes, lagoons, dams or any other body of water on land surface in Puerto Rico.
(f) To pollute, pollution.— To alter the natural properties of a body of water so that it causes damage or is prejudicial to human health, or to animal and plant life, or causes bad odoers or impurities, or alters adversely its physical, chemical, microbiological or radioactive properties, in such a way that mars the enjoyment of life or property or violates the criteria about and the standards of purity established to that effect by the regulations of the Board on Environmental Quality.
(g) Department.— The Department of Natural and Enviromental Resources.
(h) Franchise.— Written authorization of the Secretary for the use or utilization of surface or subterranean waters.
(i) Governor.— The Governor of Puerto Rico.
(j) Act.— The Act for the Conservation, Development and Use of the Water Resources of Puerto Rico.
(k) Permit.— Written authorization of the Secretary for the drilling of wells for the purpose of using subterranean waters.
(l) Person.— Any individual or juridical entity, groups organized under one firm, partnerships, public and private corporations including municipalities, agencies and instrumentalities of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(m) Well.— Any system, process, method, device or combination thereof used by man for the main or incidental purpose of extracting subterranean waters.
(n) Puerto Rico.— Embraces the whole area within the geographical or territorial boundaries under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(o) Secretary.— The Secretary of the Department.
(p) Water Connection or Water Connection System.— Any natural or artificial method to use or utilize a body of water.
History —June 3, 1976, No. 136, p. 390, § 3.