Regulatory framework
The purpose of this Law is to regulate the sustainable and comprehensive management of all waters and the territories that produce them, regardless of their location, physical state or natural occurrence within the Paraguayan territory, in order to make them socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. for the people who inhabit the territory of the Republic of Paraguay.
The PAGIRH fulfills the purpose of accelerating the implementation of integrated water resources management and responding to national water priorities, considering the four dimensions of IWRM: enabling environment, institutions and participation, management tools, and financing.
Article 7 establishes the right of every person to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. It states that the preservation, conservation, restoration, and improvement of the environment, as well as its reconciliation with integral human development, are priority objectives of social interest. These objectives shall guide government legislation and policy on natural resources, including water.
Law 1.183/85. Establishes that surface waters are public property, including rainwater, surface water, stagnant water, watercourses, riverbanks, etc., without mentioning the ownership of groundwater. Law 2559/05 amending subsection B) of Article 1898 of Law No. 1.183/85 Civil Code, which establishes the public domain of groundwater.
Law 1,160-97. This law punishes attempted crimes, as well as culpable conduct. It defines in the Second Book, Title III, Chapter I, “Acts punishable against the natural bases of human life” different activities susceptible to sanctions of imprisonment or fine, such as the fouling or alteration of waters (Art. 197º ), air pollution (Art. 198), mistreatment of soil (Art. 199), illicit processing of waste (Art. 200), entry of harmful substances into the national territory (Art. 201) and damage to natural reserves (Art. 201º
Law 1,248/31 Establishes the legal regime, conditions and procedures for the use of public waters in rural areas.
Law 836/80 This code regulates the functions of the State in relation to the comprehensive health care of the people and the rights and obligations of people in the areas.
The Paraguay 2030 National Development Plan is the long-term planning instrument adopted by the Republic of Paraguay in 2014. This instrument guides public actions in the short, medium, and long term. It responds to a constitutional mandate, which establishes that development plans are mandatory for the public sector and indicative for the private sector. The PND Paraguay 2030 was approved by Decree No. 2,794/2014, which establishes that it will be in effect for a period of 15 years (2014-2030).
The National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022-2030 (PNACC 2022-2030) is a planning instrument that seeks to promote coordinated action by different actors to address the effects of climate change in the country, facilitating the integration of adaptation in a coherent manner in policies, programs, and projects in relevant sectors and at the required levels at the national level. The PNACC 2022-2030 draws on the experience gained in the implementation of the first PNACC (2017-2021) and takes a slightly different approach to the integration of adaptation into national planning processes. The general proposal of the PNACC 2022-2030 is the result of participatory processes to analyze barriers, difficulties, and lessons learned.
Institutional Framework
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES) establishes and evaluates the National Environmental Policy, promoting research, recovery, conservation, preservation, protection, planning, management, and sustainable use of natural resources.
Water resource management in MADES is administered by the General Directorate for Water Resource Protection and Conservation (DGPCRH), which, according to Article 25 of Law No. 1561/00, is responsible for formulating, coordinating, and evaluating policies for the maintenance and conservation of water resources and their basins, ensuring the process of renewal and maintenance of water resources and their basins. 25 of Law No. 1561/00, to formulate, coordinate, and evaluate policies for the maintenance and conservation of water resources and their basins, ensuring the process of renewal, the maintenance of basic water flows, the recharge capacity of aquifers, and the care of the different uses and exploitation of water resources, while preserving economic balance.The DGPCRH has two thematic departments:
Hydrology and Hydrogeology Department, which is responsible for carrying out the hydrological monitoring process (quantity and quality) at the national level in coordination with other state institutions.
The River Basin Management Directorate, which is responsible for coordinating, at the river basin level, the participation of users and national and local governments in the sustainable management of water in the country's river basins.
The Secretariat of the Environment (SEAM) is an entity whose function or purpose is to formulate policies, coordinate, supervise, and execute environmental actions, plans, programs, and projects within the framework of the National Development Plan, relating to the preservation, conservation, restoration, and management of natural resources. It has a first-rate team of highly trained inspectors and specialists, all equipped with the necessary tools to carry out their work, inspections, interventions (and document them digitally), with exceptional mobilization capabilities. It is also made up of several Secretariats and Directorates General, which are responsible for different areas of the environment, each supporting the others for the common good: to preserve the environment we have left and which we must pass on to future generations.
Contribute to the sustainable and competitive development of the country's agricultural sector.
Institution responsible for regulating the provision of drinking water, sanitary sewerage, and sewage treatment services through the application of a regulatory framework by supervising, verifying, and controlling the quality and efficiency of the services provided to the population.
Paraguayan Sanitation Services Company, an entity dedicated to meeting the drinking water and sanitary sewerage needs of populations with more than 10,000 inhabitants in the country.
Responsible for designing public policies for the development of drinking water and sanitation systems (APS). Its functions include proposing public policy designs, conducting strategic planning, and developing and maintaining the sectoral information system..
SENASA performs various functions in environmental sanitation activities: planning, promotion, and execution of works aimed at extending the provision of drinking water and sanitation. It has jurisdiction over localities with up to 10,000 inhabitants.
Despite its great water resources, according to the Global Water Partnership (GWP), Paraguay is the country with the least water security in South America, which means that it cannot guarantee access to quality and quantity of water to the entire population.According to data provided by the Directorate of Potable Water and Sanitation (DAPSAN), there is 89% coverage of improved water in the country, while the coverage of water networks is 88.2%.Paraguay is an agro-exporting country.
Paraguay
Links of interest:
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2022 it had just over 13 million head of cattle, had a production of 10 million tons of soybeans, 6 million tons of corn and about one million tons of rice. The water requirement for these productions exceeds, by far, any of the other economic activities developed in the country. Paraguayan agriculture and livestock consume 68% of the country's total freshwater.