• New wording of the water law – harmonized with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD),
• Act of the Ministry of Environment No. .../2004 Coll. stipulating details on identification of basin regions, environmental objectives, and water planning,
• Basic water management documents:
  • Concept of water management policy of the Slovak Republic,
  • Zoning plans of large territorial zones,
  • Current international programs accepted or acceded by the Slovak Republic, and
  • Other international agreements
  • Instructions prepared by experts of working groups established for common implementation strategy of the WFD in the European Union.

    Within the water planning, the following is prepared:

• basin management plans, and
• Water Plan of Slovakia.

It is the basic tool for achievement of objectives of water planning in basin regions, which provides for environmental objectives and programs of measures for achievement thereof, including financial coverage, based on the performed analyses of the current condition of surface waters and groundwaters and assessment of the effect of human activities on water conditions.

A draft plan is prepared by the Ministry via corporations controlled by it and the manager of rivers important for water management in co-operation with water management bodies.

The following procedure is applied in preparation, review, and updating of the basic management plan:

• by December 31, 2004, to perform analyses of the characteristics of a partial water basin, to assess the impacts of human activities on the condition of surface waters and groundwaters, and to prepare economic analyses for treatment of water,
• by December 31, 2006, to prepare and publish the time schedule of preparation of a draft basin management plan, and to determine the manner and form of making it available to the public,
• by December 31, 2007, to prepare and publish identification of important water management problems which are related to treatment of water, to determine the heavily modified water bodies, to propose less strict environmental objectives, or to propose prolongation of the periods for achievement thereof,
• by December 31, 2008, to prepare and publish a draft basin management plan and to make it available to the public,
• to prepare a final draft plan and to ensure approval thereof by December 31, 2009.

Water Plan of Slovakia

It is the basic strategic document of water planning, which specified the framework tasks for protection and improvement of the condition of surface waters and groundwaters, and water ecosystems for permanently sustainable and economic use of waters, for improvement of water conditions, for protection of ecologic stability of the landscape, and for protection against harmful effects of waters.

The Water Plan of Slovakia will be approved by the Slovak Government, and the binding part thereof which contains the program of measures will be enacted in the form of a legal act. The approved Water Plan of Slovakia will be reviewed and updated every 6 years.

The basic contents of the Water Plan of Slovakia will be determined by an Act of the Slovak Ministry of Environment No. .../2004 Coll., stipulating details on identification of basin regions, environmental objectives, and water planning.

Program of Measures

The Program of Measures contains the basic measures and supplementary measures. The basic measures are aimed particularly at:

• protection of water management resources,
• regulation of consumption of surface waters and groundwaters, which may have significant impact on other treatment of waters and water ecosystems,
• use of the hydroenergetical potential,
• discharge of municipal waste waters to surface waters and groundwaters,
• preventing of discharge of industrial waste waters containing extremely hazardous substances,
• protection against contamination of waters from agricultural activities,
• preventing leakage of harmful substances into surface waters and groundwaters,
• creation of good hydromorphological conditions of surface water bodies which shall achieve good ecological status or good ecological potential,
• prevention of extreme deterioration of waters.

Information and Contact:

Ing. Emilia Kunikova
Research Institute of Water Management
nabr. arm. gen. L. Svobodu 5, 812 49 Bratislava
Phone: 00421 2 59343383
e-mail: Emilia_kunikova@vuvh.sk

RNDr. Jana Gajdova
Research Institute of Water Management
nabr. arm. gen. L. Svobodu 5, 812 49 Bratislava
Phone: 00421 2 59343343
e-mail: Jana_gajdova@vuvh.sk