Lukashenko signs law to ensure clean, safe drinking water for Belarusians

MINSK, 12 March (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed the law “On drinking water supply and wastewater disposal,” BelTA learned from the press service of the head of state.

The preparation of this law was driven by the need to enhance the framework for drinking water supply and to regulate the issues of receiving, transporting, treating wastewater, and the conditions necessary for its discharge at the legislative level .

The document provides for the creation of a state register of drinking water supply and wastewater disposal systems, as well as the determination of information to be included in this register.

The government is granted the authority to establish the procedure for using centralized drinking water supply and wastewater disposal systems and for providing wastewater transportation services.

To ensure drinking water supply in cases of its stoppage or restriction, the possibility of drilling temporary wells is envisaged.

Furthermore, the law stipulates measures for the protection of drinking water sources for centralized systems, as well as the obligation to develop programs for production control of drinking water safety and to conduct annual inventories of water supply and wastewater disposal systems.

Executive committees set the terms for accepting subscriber wastewater into centralized sewerage systems, including defining allowable pollutant concentrations.