Pollution control objectives require supportive legislation, policies and institutions - institutions that will assume the responsibilities for issuance of permits, coordination etc. Often the primary responsibility for pollution control lies with another authority other than the water management agency. Moreover, policy statements regarding water pollution control may be found scattered within the legislative framework in connection with the establishment of environmental legislation, but also within the framework of water resources management, and some other aspects within the public health regulation.
The River Basin Organisation or the water management authority may take the role of a stakeholder when discussing with the agency responsible for pollution management. Clearly mechanisms for multi-stakeholder participation are essential.
2.2 Principles for pollution management
In establishing the legal and regulatory environment for pollution management there are several important principles or guides to be applied:
i) Prevent rather than treat: Clean up of polluted sites and water bodies is generally much more expensive and challenging than applying measures to prevent pollution from occurring in the first place;
ii) Use the precautionary principle: Establishment of a causal link between the substance and pollution may take a very long time to establish and often is too late;
iii) Apply the polluter-pays-principle: Costs of pollution prevention, control and reduction measures should be borne by the polluter. This is an economic instrument ensuring that costs are distributed fairly and encouraging changes in polluter behaviour. To the extent possible pollution control should be financed from revenues paid by polluters;
iv) Apply realistic standards and regulations: Standards must be achievable and the regulations enforceable otherwise they result in more harm than having no standards and regulations, because they create an attitude of indifference, both among polluters and administrators alike;
v) Balance economic and regulatory instruments: RBOs will best achieve results by a mixture of regulations aimed at predictable goals and economic incentives for polluters to modify their behaviour;
vi) Apply water pollution control at the lowest appropriate level: Decisions or actions for water pollution control should be taken as close as possible to those affected but adapted to administrative and technical capacity at that level, in full consultation and involvement of affected groups; and
vii) Establish mechanisms for cross-sectoral integration: Pollution control requires co-operation, co-ordination and information exchange across water-related sectors, such as health, agriculture, environment and forestry.
2.3 Types of pollution
Broadly, pollution may be classified in two categories:
a) Point source pollution that refers to sources that is easily recognisable. The common characteristic of point source discharges is that they are identifiable and are the easiest to monitor and control; and