Water quality standards in Georgian law
Water quality standards in Georgia fit into the normative system of the law on environmental protection: the law defines the quality norms of the condition of the environment, the permissible limit norms for the emission of harmful substances, and the ecological requirements towards waste — and it is precisely these three contours that create the legal framework by which the quality of water objects is protected. If your enterprise uses water or returns used water into it, knowledge of these three normative layers is essential.
Quality norms
Under Article 29 of the law, the quality norms of the condition of the environment are: the maximum permissible norms of the concentration of substances harmful to human health and the natural environment and of the quantity of microorganisms in atmospheric air, water and soil; the maximum permissible norms for noise, vibration, electromagnetic fields and other physical impacts; and the maximum permissible norms of radiation impact. These norms are determined once every 5 years by the regulation on quality norms of the condition of the environment, which the health ministry develops and approves in agreement with the environmental ministry. For water, this means a system of concentration limits — it is against them that the actual condition of a water object is measured.
Permissible emission limit norms
Article 30 of the law ties emission norms to the source: the maximum permissible norms for the emission of harmful substances into the environment and for pollution by microorganisms are developed for each concrete source of pollution, taking into account its technological features and the background pollution of the location, in such a way that the concentration of emitted substances and microorganisms at the site does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration level. This means that the acceptable parameters of water discharge are determined twofold: on the one hand, by the technology of the source and, on the other, by the background condition of the site. Emission norms are determined once every five years by the corresponding regulation, which the environmental ministry develops and approves.
Waste and water objects
Article 34 of the law establishes the ecological requirements towards waste and contains a prohibition fundamental for water quality: the placement of any waste in the sea and other water objects is prohibited. The subject of an activity must ensure the prevention, collection, recovery and placement of waste in compliance with environmental, sanitary-hygienic and epidemiological norms and rules; the placement and burial of waste is permitted only in specially designated places, and for radioactive and other hazardous waste — in specially designated places. For an enterprise located near a water object these norms concern even logistics — where and how the waste of production is placed.
What this means for an enterprise
The general logic of compliance with water quality standards is as follows: first the quality norm is determined — which concentrations are permissible in water; then the emission norm of the source is tied to that norm — how much and which substances may be discharged from the specific object; and finally, the waste norms prohibit the use of water objects for placing waste. Reading these three layers together is the minimum that protects a water-consuming enterprise from legal risks.
Work connected with water quality compliance follows a logical sequence. At the first stage it is determined which water object is relevant and which quality norms are established for it — this is the starting point. At the second stage the composition and volume of the enterprise's discharges are assessed against the emission limit norms, which are tied to the specific source. At the third stage the waste management practice is verified — the waste generated must in no case end up in a water object.
An additional subject of caution is the variability of background pollution: the emission norm takes into account the background of the source's location, and if the background in a river or lake has changed because of other sources, the limit permissible for your object may also differ from the old calculation. Therefore monitoring the background is in the enterprise's own interest — it also makes it possible to request a review of the norm in due time.
Experience shows that enterprises most often err precisely at the second stage: emission norms are renewed once every five years, and the renewed regulation replaces the old parameters. Therefore a compliance assessment should be arranged not as a one-time act but as a periodic procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions asked most often about water quality standards.
What are quality norms?
The maximum permissible norms of the concentration of harmful substances and of the quantity of microorganisms in water, determined once every 5 years by the corresponding regulation.
How is an emission norm set?
For each concrete source of pollution, taking into account technological features and background pollution, so that the concentration at the site does not exceed the permissible level.
May waste be placed in water?
No. The placement of any waste in the sea and other water objects is prohibited; placement is possible only in specially designated places.
Who approves the norms?
The quality norms — by the health ministry in agreement with the environmental ministry; the emission norms — by the environmental ministry, once every five years.
How We Help on Legal.ge
Our team assists in inquiring into the normative framework applicable to your enterprise, in calculating discharge parameters, and in reconciling the waste management plan with water objects. Every conclusion rests on the exact text of the above-mentioned articles of the law.