Is it time for a new model of water quality laws?

Environmental and Planning Law Journal

Volumn 17, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 165-175

  McKay, Jennifer ^a   Moeller, Anthony ^b,c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA   (Australia)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE   (Australia)

^c UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0001446845     PISSN: 0813300X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (78)

1. A standard consists of quantifiable characteristics of the environment against which environmental quality can be assessed.
2. As amended 42 USC s 300f-s 300j-25 (1996).
3. OJ L299, 1980
4. also national legislation such as Water Industry Act 1991 (England and Wales), Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 (England and Wales), Federal Communicable Diseases Act 1979, (Bundesseuchengesetz) (Federal Republic of Germany), Drinking Water Regulations 1990 (Trinkwasserverordnung) (Federal Republic of Germany).
5. The National Environment Protection Council Act 1994, s 14(b).
6. National Health and Medical Research Council/Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, 1996 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, Australian GPS, Canberra, Pt I-Overview, pp 1-2, "The guidelines should not be construed as legally enforceable standards".
7. for example Sydney Water Customer Contract (NSW, updated), p 5 (1980 NHMRC/AWRC)
8. Hunter Water Corporation Licence (NSW), s 4.1(a) and Sch 3 (1994 NHMRC/ ARMCANZ)
9. City West Water Customer Contract (Vic, 1998), p 4 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC)
10. SouthEast Water Customer Contract (Vic, 1998), p 8 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC)
11. Yarra Valley Customer Contract (Vic, 1998), p 5 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC)
12. WA Water Corporation Operating Licence (1998), pp 22, 26-27 (1987 NHMRC/ AWRC)
13. Fremantle Port Authority Operating Licence (WA, 1998), s 3 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC)
14. Bunbury Water Board Operating Licence (WA, 1998), pp 25-26 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC)
15. Busselton Water Board Operating Licence (WA, 1998), pp. 25-26 (1987 NHMRC/ AWRC)
16. Rottnest Island Board Operating Licence (WA, 1998), pp 23-24 (1987 NHMRC/AWRC).
17. Note also water suppliers such as Coliban Water have a Customer Contract (Vic, 1998), p 9 (some districts 1996 NHMRC/ ARMCANZ) but they are neither required to do this by the Victorian Water Industry Act 1994 or the Victorian Office of the Regulator-General.
18. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia's Health 1996 (Austlnfo, Canberra, 1996), pp 111-113.
19. for example Roxby Downs (Indenture Rectification) Act 1982 (SA), Schedule, s 1, World Health Orgnisation drinking water guidelines
20. Local Government (Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulations 1995 (NSW), s 34(6), 1996 NHMRC/ARMCANZ
21. Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulation 1997 (WA), ss 38 and 42, 1987 NHMRC/AWRC
22. Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations 1993 (WA), s3(l), NHMRC.
23. In this article mandatory regulations will refer to mandatory standards, rules or procedures that are specified in an Act of Parliament or subordinate legislation such as regulations. Guidelines or standards that are included in licenses will be viewed as "contractual standards", legally enforceable amongst the parties. In respect to these definitions mandatory standards can therefore apply to all water suppliers across a State or nation, whereas contractual standards are limited to agreeing parties and the regions they occupy.
24. US EPA, Technical and Economic Capacity of States and Public Water Systems to Implement Drinking Water Regulations: Report to Congress, 1993, p 16.
25. National Competition Policy, (also known as the Hilmer Report), Independent Committee of Inquiry into Competition Policy in Australia (Australian GPS, Canberra, 1993).
26. Productivity Commission, Performance of Government Trading Enterprises, 1991-92 to 1996-97 (Auslnfo, Canberra, 1998), pp 37-38, 133.
27. for example Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Face the facts: Some questions and answers about immigration, refugees and indigenous affairs (HREOC, Aust, 1997), pp 25.
28. for example Thomas O McGarity, "Special Issue the Administrative State at a crossroads: The APA at fifty: The expanded Debate over the future of the Regulatory State", Fall 1996, 63 U Chi L Rev, pp 1464-1465.
29. Generally, mandatory rules refer to enforced standardised procedures, as opposed to set standards. Although they may include standards.
30. Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 1991 (Vic), s 7(l)(a),(b) related ss 7 and 8.
31. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
32. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
33. for example regulations made under the SDWA: Consumer Confidence Reports, Fed Reg 63: 160: 44511 (August 19, 1998)
34. Information Collection Rule, Fed Reg 61: 94: 24353 (May 14, 1996).
35. Sydney Water Act 1994 (NSW), s 21 (1)(c).
36. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
37. Sydney Water Customer Contract (NSW, updated), p 5
38. Sydney Water Operating Licence (NSW, updated), p 9.
39. Sydney Water Act 1994, s 30-33
40. Licence Regulator to Sydney and Hunter Water Corporations, 1997, Annual Report, p 1.
41. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
42. Sydney Water Customer Contract (NSW, updated), p 5
43. Sydney Water Operating Licence (NSW, updated), p 9.
44. Office of the Regulator-General Act 1994 (Vic), s 6(1).
45. Water Industry Act 1994 (Vic.) 1994, s 9(l)-(3), s. 10(1).
46. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
47. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
48. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
49. City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water Customer Contracts, 1998. p 4, p 8, p 5, respectively.
50. Office of the Regulator General, 1998. Annual Report, 1997/98. p. 35.
51. Water Services Coordination Act 1995 (WA), ss 10(1), 15-16,22.
52. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
53. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
54. Office of Water Regulation, 1998. Annual Report, 1997/98, p 35.
55. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
56. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
57. Office of Water Regulation, 1998: Operating Licence for WA Water, pp 22, 26-27
58. Fremantle Port Authority, s. 3
59. Bunbury Water Board, pp 25-26
60. Busselton Water Board, pp 25-26
61. Rottnest Island Board, pp 23-24.
62. The Advisory Committee for the Purity of Water, 1998. Annual Report 1997, pp i, 1.
63. Fed Reg 47, 840: 69477 (Dec 16, 1998).
64. Total Coliforms, Final Rule, Fed Reg 54, 135:29998 (July 17, 1989).
65. Allan Asher, "Privatization of Public Enterprises and Utilities and Establishment of Regulatory Framework", Australian Consumer and Competition Commission, International Conference on Competition Policy and Economic Adjustment, Bangkok, 27-28 May 1999, ACCC, p 24.
66. Sydney Water Inquiry, 1998, Final Report, Ch 10, p 6.
67. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
68. NB: Most regional districts within NSW as far as known follow NHMRC guidelines to some degree, on a voluntary basis. A few regions have initiated either their own "Customer contracts" or have included NHMRC guidelines within Council business strategic plans. However the NSW Licence Regulator presently oversees only Sydney Water, Hunter Water, and the Sydney Catchment Authority.
69. for example Richard B Steward, "Pyramids of Sacrifice? Problems of Federalism in mandating State Implementation of National Environmental policy", 1977, 86 Yale Law Journal 1196, p 1212.
70. Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cwth), s 71.
71. Jeremy Waldron, "What is Private Property?" (1985) 5 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 313, 320-1
72. For example the US EPA sets a "Maximum Contaminant Level Goal" of zero for contaminants with strong evidence of carcinogenicity. The agency assumes that any exposure, no matter how small will increase the risk of cancer. US EPA, 1994. Drinking Water Standards Setting: Question-and-Answer Primer, p 27.
73. N Harvey, Environmental Impact Assessment: Procedures, Practice and Prospects in Australia (Oxford, Melbourne, 1998), p 3.
74. Australian Law Reform Commission, Who can Sue? A Review of the Law of Standing, Discussion Paper 61, (Australia GPS, Canberra, 1995) p 11, also p 12-17.
75. Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cwth), s 80.
76. Australian Law Reform Commission, 1995, p 3.
77. GM Bates, "The aftermath of Lake Pedder", in M Somarajah, ed, The South West Dam Dispute: The legal and political issues, (University of Tasmania, 1983) p 19, noting that the relaxation of standing rules under Michigan's Environmental Protection Act 1970 did not leave the courts open the to frivolous actions due to factors such as costs, time, etcetera.
78. Office of Regulation Review, The use of cost litigation rules to improve the efficiency of the legal system, Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission review of the litigation cost rules, 1995, p 3.