Suggested citations
AGLC4 | 상수도법 2009 [Water Supply Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2009)] [tr Daye Gang].
Bluebook | Sangsudobeob 2009 [Water Supply Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2009)] translated in Law and North Korea by Daye Gang, https://www.lawandnorthkorea.com/.
Adopted on November 25, 1999, as Directive No. 444 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
CHAPTER I. BASICS OF WATER SUPPLY LAW
Article 1 (Objectives of law)
The Water Supply Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall serve to smoothly assure water required for people’s standard of living, including systems and order in the construction, administration, and operation of water supply facilities, and the production, supply, and use of residential water.
Article 2 (Definitions)
Water supply facilities are structures and facilities installed to produce residential water to supply to consumer subjects. Water supply facilities include things like water level control valves, pumping stations, purification structures, water pipes, drains, freshwater storage and control structures, water mains, hydrants, and attached structures.
Article 3 (Principle of constructing water supply facilities)
Constructing water supply facilities well is a prerequisite condition for smoothly assuring the production and supply of residential water. The State shall prioritize water supply construction from the principle of constructing infrastructure first, then superstructure and must assure the quality of construction.
Article 4 (Principle of managing water supply facilities)
The State shall do management for water supply facilities using scientific techniques and shall normalize their operations.
Article 5 (Principle of production, supply, and use of residential water)
The State shall adopt the production and supply system of residential water in an orderly manner, and must ensure that residential water of good purity can be produced, supplied, and economised to the utmost in conformity with demands.
Article 6 (Principle of protecting water supply facilities)
The State shall strengthen socialist patriotic education within the people and ensure that they actively participate in water supply facilities protection work.
Article 7 (Exchange and cooperation in the water supply field)
The State shall develop exchange and cooperation in the water supply field with other countries and international organizations.
Article 8 (Application of different laws)
Order not regulated in this law related to the construction and management of water supply facilities and the production, supply, and use of residential water, shall follow the relevant law.
CHAPTER II. CONSTRUCTION OF WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES
Article 9 (Planning water supply facilities construction)
Water supply facilities construction is important work to arrange the conditions to guarantee residential water. Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must do water supply facilities construction in a planned way.
Article 10 (Drafting water supply facilities construction plan)
The water supply facilities construction plan shall be adopted by the People’s Committees and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations. People’s Committees and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must correctly calculate demand for residential water and must adopt and execute a water supply construction plan without fail.
Article 11 (Precedence of water supply facilities construction)
In cases where relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations seek to construct a subject, water supply facilities construction must take precedence. Construction of a subject may not be conducted without giving precedence to water supply facilities construction.
Article 12 (Water supply facilities construction design)
The water supply facilities construction design shall be drafted by the relevant design institution or enterprise. Relevant design institutions and enterprises shall correctly calculate things like the use, scale, and ability of the construction subject to scientifically design water supply facilities.
Article 13 (Adherence to design requirements in the construction of water supply facilities)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations constructing water supply facilities must construct water supply facilities according to the requirements of the design. Water supply facilities construction may not be done with designs that have not been approved, and approved designs may not be changed at will.
Article 14 (Connection of service pipes)
In cases where relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations seek to connect a service pipe to water supply pipes that are in use, they must agree with the water supply management institution and the construction supervision institution must receive the service pipe construction specifications. Service pipes may not be connected without receiving the agreement of the water supply management institution and service pipe construction specifications from the construction supervision institution.
Article 15 (Pre-delivery inspection of completed water supply facilities)
When the water supply facilities construction ends, a pre-delivery inspection will be done. Water supply facilities that have not passed the pre-delivery inspection may not be handed over to the water supply management institution.
CHAPTER III. MANAGEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES
Article 16 (Transfer of control and takeover of newly constructed water supply facilities)
Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must correctly hand over completed water supply facilities to the water supply management institution. In these cases, the documents required for water supply facilities administration and operation must also be handed over, such as the notice of passing pre-delivery inspection and the design blueprints.
Article 17 (Transfer of control and take over of water supply facilities where the management is different)
The water supply management institution may hand over or take over water supply facilities with different management with the approval of the central municipal administration guidance institution. In these cases, the state of administration and operation of the water supply facilities shall be confirmed and the required document must also be handed over or received.
Article 18 (Registration of water supply facilities)
Water supply management institutions must command and register water supply facilities without exception.
Article 19 (Establishment of water supply facilities management system)
The central municipal administration guidance institution and the relevant authorities must correctly divide the responsibility for managing water supply facilities. The water supply management institution shall normally do circuit inspections for the water supply facilities it is responsible for, and in cases where a defective section has appeared, it must be eradicated in time.
Article 20 (Adherence to requirements of technical regulations and standard operation manuals)
The water supply management institution must abide strictly by the requirements of technical regulations and standard operation manuals in the management and operation of water supply facilities.
Article 21 (Maintenance cycle of water supply facilities)
The water supply management institution must correctly determine the maintenance cycle for water supply facilities and must do maintenance in a planned way. The work of determining the maintenance cycle of water supply facilities shall be done by the central municipal administration guidance institution.
Article 22 (Large maintenance and routine maintenance of water supply facilities)
Maintenance for water supply facilities shall be divided into large maintenance and routine maintenance. The water supply management institution shall adopt a large maintenance and routine maintenance plan according to the maintenance cycle and technical state of water supply facilities and must execute it without fail.
Article 23 (Self-maintenance of water supply facilities)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations that manage water supply facilities on their own must maintain and service water supply facilities every year before April and must receive a technical inspection or hygiene inspection of the water supply management institution and the relevant authorities. Residential water may not be supplied without receiving an inspection.
Article 24 (Prevention of freezing and bursting or corrosion of water supply facilities)
The water supply management institution and the People’s Committee at the corresponding level must strictly adopt prevention measures so that water supply facilities do not freeze and burst or corrode from the influence of nature.
Article 25 (Repair of accident or damage of water supply facilities)
In cases where there is an accident or damage to water supply facilities, institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens must inform the water supply management institution. The water supply management institution who has received a notification shall inquire into the cause of the accident or damage to the water supply facilities and repair it in time.
Article 26 (Establishment of sanitary protection zones)
Designated areas shall be designated as sanitary protection zones for catchment areas, distributing reservoirs, and pumping stations to protect water supply facilities and assure water purity. The work of determining sanitary protection zones shall be done by the Cabinet.
Article 27 (Prohibited matters in sanitary protection zones)
The following acts may not be done in sanitary protection zones.
1. Acts of constructing buildings and facilities that are not related to the management of water supply facilities
2. Acts of cultivating soil, raising domestic animals, digging the ground or chopping down trees
3. Acts like bathing, laundry, hunting, fishing, or boating
4. Acts of causing things like industrial wastewater or sewage to flow into sanitary protection zones
5. Acts of a person or boat that is not managerial personnel into a prohibited place
6. Acts of entering with explosive materials or poisons
7. Other acts of polluting the water supply or influencing water purity and reducing the volume of water supply
Article 28 (Guarantee of hygiene of catchment areas, distributing reservoirs, pumping stations and surroundings)
The water supply management institution must always manage catchment areas, distributing reservoirs, pumping stations, and their surroundings in a culturally hygienic way. Water supply facilities such as filter basins, water purification tanks, drainage tanks, and pumping stations shall be cleaned and disinfected more than once a quarter, and the equipment and work uniforms used for that administration and operation must be disinfected after each use.
Article 29 (Examination by water supply supervisor)
Workers working at places like catchment areas, purification facilities, distributing reservoirs, and pumping stations must receive a health examination of the public health institution regularly once per quarter. A worker who has not received an examination or a communicable disease may not work in places such as catchment areas, purification facilities, distributing reservoirs, and pumping stations.
Article 30 (Protection of water pipes)
The water supply management institution may build things like protective embankments for the protection of important water pipes and drains. In these cases, the approval of the relevant authorities must be received. Within a designated section from the water pipes, drains, or water service pipes, a building or facilities may not be constructed and trees may not be planted.
Article 31 (Management of wells and water pumping equipment)
The water supply management institution and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must do the management of wells and water pumping equipment as designated so that water does not become polluted. Wells and water pumping equipment shall be normally cleaned and disinfected, and a water quality inspection must be received from the public health institution more than once per quarter.
Article 32 (Discarding and change of use of water supply facilities)
In cases where water supply facilities are sought to be discarded or their use is sought to be changed, it must be agreed with the water supply management institution and the approval of the relevant central bodies must be received.
The water supply management institution and relevant central bodies must correctly assess things like the reason for discarding or changing the use of the water supply facilities and the true state of guaranteed residential water and agree to or approve the discarding or change of use of water supply facilities.
CHAPTER IV. PRODUCTION, SUPPLY, USE OF RESIDENTIAL WATER
Article 33 (Execution of residential water production plan)
State planning institutions must correctly calculate the demand and production ability of residential water to adopt a scientific and realistic residential water production plan. The water supply management institution shall plan the conduct with production organizations and the residential water production plan must be executed without fail.
Article 34 (Guarantee of water purity standards of residential water)
The water supply management institution must assure the water purity standards of residential water produced as designated. Residential water where the water purity standards have not been guaranteed may not be supplied. The work of determining the water purity standards of residential water shall be done by the central public health guidance institution.
Article 35 (Water quality inspection)
The water supply management institution and public health institutions must normally inspect the water purity of residential water and must assure designated standards.
Article 36 (Guarantee of facilities and chemicals required for the purification or disinfection of residential water)
Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must produce and assure the facilities and chemicals used in the purification and disinfection of residential water in time.
Article 37 (Supply of residential water)
The water supply management institution must normally supply produced residential water according to designated standards.
Article 38 (Guarantee of electricity required for the production and supply of residential water)
The electricity supply institution must normally assure the electricity required for the production and supply of residential water.
Article 39 (Residential water supply by institutions, enterprises and organizations)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations seeking to receive the supply of residential water must receive the approval of the water supply management institution and the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. In cases where the water supply management institution supplies residential water to institutions, enterprises and organizations, a contract shall be concluded and it must be correctly fulfilled.
Article 40 (Temporary suspension of residential water supply)
In cases where the supply of residential water is sought to be temporarily suspended due to unavoidable circumstances, the water supply management institution must receive the approval of the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. The consumers must be informed of the fact that the residential water supply is sought to be suspended ahead of time.
Article 41 (Use of residential water)
Institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens must use supplied residential water in conformity with its designated use. Residential water may not be used as water for industrial use without approval.
Article 42 (Reuse of residential water)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations must introduce advanced scientific and technological results to reuse residential water.
Article 43 (Prevention of loss of residential water during piping)
Water supply management institutions must prevent the loss of residential water during piping. Institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens must not draw and use residential water in the middle of the water supply network or manipulate installed sides without the approval of the water supply management institution.
Article 44 (Usage fee payment for residential water)
Institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens who have used residential water must pay a usage fee according to what has been decided.
CHAPTER V. GUIDANCE AND CONTROL FOR WATER SUPPLY WORK
Article 45 (Guidance over water supply work)
Guidance over water supply work shall be done by the central municipal administration guidance institution and the People’s Committee at the corresponding level under the standardized guidance of the Cabinet.
The central municipal administration guidance institution and the People’s Committee at the corresponding level must adopt a guidance system over water supply work and must normally command and guide it.
Article 46 (Guarantee of conditions for water supply work)
Relevant authorities including State planning institutions, financial banking institutions, and labour administration institutions must guarantee the labour, facilities, resources, and funds required for the management and operation of water supply facilities in time.
Article 47 (Scientific research and training of experts)
The central municipal administration guidance institution and the relevant scientific research and education institution shall modernize water supply facilities, shall strengthen scientific research to raise the quality of the residential water, and shall train technical experts and professionals required for the water supply sector so that they have good prospects.
Article 48 (Supervision and control institution for water supply work)
Supervision and control for water supply work shall be done by the central municipal administration guidance institution, the People’s Committee at the corresponding level, and the supervision and control institution. The central municipal administration guidance institution, the People’s Committee at the corresponding level, and the supervision and control institution must normally supervise and control the state of production, supply, and use of water supply facilities management and residential water.
Article 49 (Damage compensation)
In cases where water supply facilities have been damaged or have been discarded or changed in use without approval, the relevant damage shall be compensated.
Article 50 (Administrative responsibility)
In the following cases, responsible workers of institutions, enterprises and organizations and individual citizens shall have the relevant administrative punishment imposed depending on the gravity.
1. In cases where the order of construction has been violated in constructing water supply facilities or the quality of the construction has not been assured
2. In cases where a service pipe has been connected to water supply pipes in use without approval
3. In cases where residential water has not been able to be produced or supplied according to the plan
4. In cases where water supply facilities have been damaged, or interference has been caused to the production and supply of residential water by discarding them or changing their use without approval
5. In cases where interference has been caused to the production and supply of residential water by not properly doing the work required to guarantee the management and operation of water supply facilities
6. In cases where the water purity standards for residential water have not been assured
7. In cases where an act regulated in Article 27 has been done
8. In cases where buildings or facilities have been constructed or trees have been planted within a designated section where water pipes, drains, and water service pipes have been installed and caused interference to their management
9. In cases where residential water has been used as water for industrial use without approval
Article 51 (Criminal responsibility)
In cases where an act in Article 50 amounts to a crime, the responsible worker of institutions, enterprises and organizations or the individual citizen shall have criminal liability imposed according to the relevant provisions of the criminal law.
Last updated 30 September 2020