Water is an essential resource for life and plays a crucial role in various economic and social activities. From agriculture and industry to energy production and tourism, water is a key factor in both the global and local economies. Therefore, its management must be sustainable, ensuring both its quality and sufficient availability.
The goal of water regulations is to prevent and reduce pollution, promote sustainable water use, protect and improve the aquatic environment, and mitigate the effects of floods and droughts.
Since the 1980s, water legislation has undergone numerous modifications to adapt to the pressures from different economic activities affecting water resources, as well as the impact of climate change, particularly the worsening of droughts and floods. Additionally, the need to update management practices with new technological tools has led to legislative changes.
In the current context, ensuring compliance with water regulations is essential to prevent deterioration, guarantee a sufficient water supply under optimal conditions, and mitigate and adapt to adverse effects such as climate change.
Among the services offered by Terraqui are the following:
- Monitoring and analysis of applicable water regulations at local, regional, national, European, and international levels, as well as their interpretation by the courts.
- Legal consulting on drafting water-related regulations.
- Legal advice for public administrations and businesses on their obligations regarding water management.
- Advice on obtaining, modifying, reviewing, transferring, and terminating permits such as authorisations for water extraction, wastewater discharge, reuse of treated water, production and supply of reclaimed water, water rights transfers, water use legalisation, servitudes, construction, and activities in public water domains.
- Legal advice on administrative procedures related to the integrated water cycle, which includes water collection, transportation, treatment (including desalination), potable water distribution for both domestic and industrial uses, sewage networks, sanitation, and wastewater treatment (both urban and industrial).
- Comprehensive legal advice and management for creating irrigation and water user communities: documentation preparation, representation, negotiations with authorities and community members, and secretarial services.
- Legal representation in administrative and judicial proceedings related to violations of water regulations.
- Legal action to enforce compliance with water regulations.
- Training on water regulations for businesses, public administrations, and other organisations.
- Legal support in identifying and securing funding for water-related projects.
- Consulting on integrating environmental clauses related to water protection and management in public tenders and grants.
