China’s new water law – for which we provided international best practice advice – created a sound platform for our work now in supporting stronger water sector governanceIn China, Mott MacDonald is working on a landmark project to support stronger water policy development and governance through the introduction of integrated water resources management (IWRM) approaches.

The Water Resource Demand Management Assistance Project (WRDMAP) funded by
the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) will be implemented by China’s Ministry of Water Resources. The £9.5 million capacity building project aims to support the reforms required by the 2002 Chinese Water Law – where we also provided advice on international best practice – enacted to, among other elements, ‘place more emphasis on involving people in the management of this scarce resource… and… also contribute to greater environmental sustainability and accountability’ (DFID).

Water scarcity combined with over-exploitation of the available resources threatens China’s sustainable development. Rapid economic growth has led to over-commitment of available surface water resources, overdraft of groundwater resources in many areas and unreliable access to water – all affecting the livelihoods of many, particularly rural and poor people and especially in northern China.

The project involves developing and implementing, in the first three years, pilot studies in various aspects of IWRM and demand management in the two target provinces of Gansu and Liaoning. The resulting knowledge is to be packaged for broader dissemination, both within the two provinces and also throughout China during the remainder of the project which will be completed in 2010.

Mott MacDonald is providing advisory services including institutional strengthening, promoting awareness programmes and the introduction of improved systems for water resources management and water demand management. Integrated water resources management, river basin management and the creation of examples of ‘water saving society’ will be key elements of the project. In this work we are being supported by services from International associates, local consultants and institutes including HTSPE, DHI Water & Environment, Oxford Centre for Water Research, International Water Law Research Institute, University of Dundee and Stone & Webster Consultants.

WRDMAP involves developing and implementing pilot studies in various aspects of integrated water resources management and demand management in the two target provinces of Gansu and Liaoning WRDMAP case studies being carried out include the Central Case Study: documentation and nationwide promotion of best practices in IWRM will be implemented by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) within the Ministry of Water Resources.


The case study will provide direction and guidance to Gansu and Liaoning provinces on interpretation of the 2002 Water Law and its application in the case studies in the two provinces. DWR will monitor implementation and when observing good practices it will assist the case study teams in presenting the information in formats that are suitable for dissemination, promotion and replication nationwide.

Case study Gansu 1: IWRM planning for Shiyang River Basin (SRB) will apply the IWRM principle of water resources management in the context of a river basin. The planning process will be used to develop the mandate of the newly formed Shiyang River Basin Management Bureau (SRBMB) and strengthen its organisation. The case study will introduce international practices for river basin organisations, build commensurate capacity in water resources planning and management at the river basin level and encourage communication with municipalities, Wuwei and Jinchang Municipalities being selected as the case study examples.

Case study Gansu 2: water saving societies in Wuwei and Jinchang will assist Wuwei and Jinchang Municipalities, which are the principal administrative units within SRB, regulating water use within their administrative boundaries in order to achieve a long term sustainable balance between the available water resources, the current use of water and the projected future demands for water.

Case study Gansu 3: Shared water management in Minqin will assist Minqin County and Water User Associations in selected rural communities to develop a model for increased community and user participation in management of water resources and water delivery as close to users as possible particularly related to irrigation water usage. The area suffers from severe groundwater overexploitation and encroaching desertification.

Case study Liaoning 1: IWRM planning for the upper Daling river basin will assist Chaoyang municipal Water Affairs Bureau (WAB) to apply IWRM planning in the upper Daling river basin, which mainly lies within the municipality. The case study will focus on the planning functions of a large municipal WAB in the absence of a river basin organisation. The case study will develop the communication channels upward with the provincial Water Resources Department, horizontally with other municipalities and downwards with counties and communities in the municipality.

Case study Liaoning 2: Integrated water abstraction and wastewater discharge permitting in Chaoyang will assist the municipal WAB and Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) integrating the permitting of water abstractions and wastewater discharges. The process aims to strengthen the sense of shared responsibility for regulation of water use in accordance with the objectives for functional use of water sources and receiving waters as defined in the river basin planning and pollution control.

Case Study Liaoning 3: Water tariff reform and efficiency in Beipiao will assist Beipiao County WAB, Beipiao Water Supply Company (WSC) and selected urban communities to develop a model for sharing of responsibilities and functions in the future management and delivery of urban water supply services. The model will be developed as part of a programme for tariff reform and water savings in the WSC with a strong focus on institutional development.

Updating China’s Water Law
In 2001, we helped China’s Ministry of Water Resources in updating China’s Water Law, focusing on four priority topics: water allocation, rights and permits; river basin water management systems; water use efficiency and conservation; and protection of water resources from pollution. Our team of experts provided advice on international best practice drawing upon information from Europe, in particular the new Water Framework Directive but also broader experience from the USA and elsewhere.

China’s previous Water Law had been passed in 1988. Since then, demands on the country’s water resources had increased, and there had been changes linked to the transition to a socialist market led economy as well as an increasing awareness of environmental issues. The new law reflects current thinking on integrated water resource management and demand management. It also enshrines concepts that everyone should have access to safe water and that water conservation and environmental protection are a priority. Keen to introduce the measures needed for more equitable and sustainable management of the country’s water resources, China’s Ministry of Water Resources had begun a review of the 1988 law which culminated in the completion of a draft revised version. Mott MacDonald’s consultant team was then brought in to study these proposals, provide advice on the content and identify the best mechanism for implementing the new legislation in the light of international experience. The government was keen to involve stakeholders in the consultation process before the final draft was submitted to the National People’s Congress (NPC).

The main elements of the six month consultancy contract – funded by DFID and undertaken in collaboration with the World Bank - were to:

• review both the existing water law and the revised version in the light of current international best practice, technological advancements and the need for improved water management
• review related resources and environmental laws to identify any potential areas of conflict in the new legislation.

The Mott MacDonald consultant team was led by Dr Radosevich, an international water lawyer and institutional specialist, who is familiar with the China water sector as well as having experience in countries with similar water resource issues. The team included additional legal expertise in the specialist area of water rights and dispute resolution, a social science expert, a technical expert in water resources and basin planning and management, a water resources economist, Chinese experts on water law and social science.