INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE STRUCTURE OF WATER-QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN TURKEY

This paper examines the administrative and legal structure of the wast ewater sector in Turkey, identifying its shortcomings and their causes , and suggests solutions. The study begins by outlining the existing a dministrative and legal structure, then focusing on the areas where di fficulties are faced and seeking solutions to them. Those administrati ve and legal facets which have produced improvements and/or function e ffectively have been analysed so as to provide examples for other area s. When examining the sector it was observed that problems common to e very area are the failure to adequately define powers and responsibili ties, the lack of coordination between sectoral organisations, and the fact that attention is generally concentrated on routine matters of s econdary importance. The fact that numerous organisations share powers in the same ar ea causes confusion. Plurality also creates difficulti es where enforcement is concerned. The existence of more than one set of regulations relating to the same area gives rise to loopholes. At t he same time, unrealistic, and hence unenforceable standards undermine the effectiveness of sanctions. it has been concluded that a single o rganisation should be invested with the legal powers to lay down the p rinciples of water management, that environmental courts should be set up to enforce legislation by means of sanctions; and that for this pu rpose existing legislation should be reexamined and revised as necessa ry and/or brought up to date.