As competent department of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China in charge of water resource administration, the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) is given the following mandates.

(1) Formulation of water-related policies, development strategies and medium and long-term development plans, Drafting and supervision of the implementation of related legislation.

(2) Implementation of integrated management of water resources, including atmospheric water, surface water and groundwater. Formulation of national and inter-provincial development plans of water supply and demand and schemes for water allocation; Supervision of the execution of the above plans and schemes; Assessment of water resources and flood risk and flood mitigation measures in relation to the overall planning of the national economy, urban planning and major construction projects; Publication to national research and development in hydrology; Implementation of the water-drawing permit system and the water resource fee system; Guidance to national research and development in hydrology.

(3). Formulation of water-saving policy, plan, related standards; organization, direction and supervision of water saving.

(4) Formulation of water resource protection plans in accordance with related national laws, regulations and standards concerning resource and environment protection; demarcation of functional water areas and control of discharge of wastewater to potable water areas and other water areas; monitoring of the quantity and quality of water of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, review and approval of the pollution loading capacities of water bodies with proposal for the limit of the limit of total wastewater discharge.

(5)Formulation of economic regulatory measures for the water sector; exercise of macroeconomic regulation on the utilization of funds within the water industry; provision of guidance to economic activities related to water supply, hydropower and diversified development within the water sector; provision of recommendations on economic regulation of water pricing, taxation, credit and financial affairs. And the mediation and arbitration of inter-sector and inter-province water disputes.

(6)Drafting and review of proposals and feasibility study reports on large and medium-sized capital construction projects in the water sector.

(7) Drafting and supervision of the execution of technical standards for the water sector and specifications and codes for water works; implementation of key hydroscience research projects and the popularization and dissemination of water-related technologies.

(8)Organization and direction of the management protection of hydraulic facilities, water areas, dykes and coast lines, and the regulation, reclamation and development of major rivers, major lakes and beaches; handling of foreign affairs in relation to international rivers between China and its neighboring countries; organization of construction and management of key controlling and inter-province hydroprojects; organization and direction of the monitoring and management of the safety of reservoirs and dams of hydropower stations.

(9)Provision of guidance to activities related to rural water resources; organization and coordination of capital construction of farmland drainage and irrigation, rural electrification, and water supply for townships and villages.

(10)Organization of water and soil conservation nationwide, including formulation and development of engineering measures for water and soil conservation, and organization of the monitoring and overall prevention and control of soil and water losses.

 (11)Responsibility for the activities concerning science, technology and foreign affairs related to water resources, including provision of guidance to the development of a competent work force for the water sector.

(12)Responsibility for the day-to-day work of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. This includes the organization, coordination, supervision and direction of nationwide flood control, and execution of operations of flood control and drought prevention for major river basins and key water projects.

 (13)Other duties and responsibilities assigned by the State Council.