Water Management Licence

Where you can sort this out:

Plzeňská 134, Příbram I (Natura Building), 1st floor, Environment Department

Basic information:

A permit for the management of surface or groundwater is required
a) in the case of surface water, and where this does not involve general management thereof
: 1. for its abstraction;
2. for its impoundment or, where applicable, accumulation;
3. for the utilisation of its energy potential,
4. for the use of such water for the rearing of fish or waterfowl,
or other aquatic animals, for commercial purposes,
5. for other management of such waters,
b) in the case of groundwater
1. for its abstraction,
2. for its accumulation,
3. for its pumping for the purpose of lowering its level,
4. for the artificial recharge of groundwater sources with surface water,
5. for other uses thereof,
c) for the discharge of waste water into surface water or groundwater,
d) for the extraction of surface water or groundwater and its subsequent discharge into such waters for the purpose of obtaining thermal energy.

This procedure does not apply to:

A water management permit is not required

• for pumping tests carried out as part of hydrogeological surveys or surveys of the yield of groundwater resources, provided that they are
  to last for less than 14 days and the water abstraction during this period does not exceed 1 l/s,
• the abstraction of surface and groundwater for the purpose of determining and assessing the status of such waters,
• one-off abstraction of surface or groundwater in cases of rescue operations during emergencies, fires and other natural disasters,
• for the use of surface water during exercises and operations by the Fire and Rescue Service of the Czech Republic and fire protection units, the Police of the Czech Republic or the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic; such use must be discussed in advance with the water authority (Municipal Office for the Environment) during exercises.

Processing time:

Within 60 days, or within 90 days in particularly complex cases, from the commencement of proceedings.

Who is authorised to submit an application, notification, etc.:

The person intending to manage the water.

Other parties to the proceedings:

• the local authority,
• the watercourse manager (if the proceedings concern a watercourse),
• the river basin authority (if the decision may affect water conditions in the river basin),
• and others.

Form – where to obtain it:

A hard copy of the application form can be obtained from the Department of the Environment and on the town’s website.

Download here:

Legislation governing the procedure:

• Act No. 500/2004 Coll., the Administrative Procedure Code
• Act No. 254/2001 Coll., on Water
• Decree No. 183/2018 Coll., on the requirements for decisions and other measures of the water authority and on documents to be submitted to the water authority

Procedure under the Code of Administrative Procedure:

The permit is issued through administrative proceedings.

Requirements for the application:

in accordance with the Water Act: 

Section 9a
(1) An application for a water management permit shall, in addition to the general requirements under the Administrative Procedure Code
, contain: a) a basic description of the water management activity, its type, scope and purpose; and
b) identification details of the location of the water management activity.
(2) The application shall
include: a) documentation for a building permit, if the structure is to be used for the authorised water management activity;
b) the consent of the owner of the land or the waterworks structure affected by the authorised water management activity, if the applicant is not the owner; the consent must be marked on the site plan and must bear the signature of the owner of the land or waterworks structure, together with their identification details, which for
1. a natural person are their first name, surname, date of birth, address of permanent residence, and, if none, address of residence;
and, 2. for a legal person, the name, registered office and identification number, if assigned,
c) a statutory declaration of ownership of the waterworks, if an existing waterworks is to be used for the authorised water management and this waterworks is not registered in the Land Registry,
d) the opinion of the river basin authority; this does not apply in the case of an application for a licence to abstract groundwater for domestic purposes or for a licence to discharge waste water into surface water or groundwater for domestic purposes,
(e) a statement from the relevant watercourse manager, where the authorised water management is to affect a watercourse;
(f) data on water flows in the watercourse, where the authorised water management is to affect a watercourse;
g) a proposal for the minimum residual flow, the location and method of its measurement, where the authorised water management may result in a reduction in the watercourse’s flow,
h) a statement from a person with professional competence, where the use of groundwater is authorised; and
i) a detailed plan for remediation works, where the water use in question falls under Section 8(1)(e).

Administrative (or other) fee:

Not specified.

Remedies:

The proper remedy is an appeal. The decision issued contains instructions on how to appeal, specifying the time limit within which an appeal may be lodged, the authority to which it should be addressed, and where the appeal may be lodged.