Performance of water usage charge in the Nation’s domain as a water resource management tool in the São Francisco River basin

ABSTRACT The present work consists in a study on the performance of usage charge as a management tool in the São Francisco River Basin in the period between 2010 and 2013, according to the objectives defined by the law 9.433/97. The objectives of this study considers: assessment of user participation in the amounts billed and type of use; comparative analysis of charged and collected amounts in the basin to observe user compliance to payments; analysis of the application of financial resources obtained from the revenue particularly the actions set forth by the basin investment plan, review of the evolution of uses: withdrawal, consumption, organic load discharge to assess the influence of usage charge on the rational use of water resources and comparison of pricing mechanisms of the Paraíba do Sul river, Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiaí rivers, Doce river and São Francisco river basins for major uses. It is noted that the compliance by users to the usage charge is increasing gradually. Even though over 91% of the payments were on time by users in 2013, the financial resources obtained and the management to employ them do not meet the actual needs for investments in the basin conservation actions. With regards to the use of water withdrawal it is not observed the effect of the usage charge. For the uses of consumption and organic load discharge, the results were minor but positive. It is recommended a review of the reference flow and parameters of charging for water resources uses, and also it is suggested a study of the mechanisms of usage charge models implemented in the Paraíba do Sul river, Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiaí river and Doce river basins, which uses the granted and measured flows for adjustments in the usage charge model, in the São Francisco river basin. All in all, the implementation of water usage charge in the São Francisco River basin despite it being recent, it is a process that will gradually be consolidating and contributing to environmental sustainability of the basin.

摘要 本研究围绕2010至2013年间圣弗朗西斯科河盆地（São Francisco River Basin）以水资源使用费作为管理工具的实施效果展开分析，依据第9.433/97号法律设定的研究目标推进。本研究的核心目标包括：评估用水户对计费额度及用水类别的参与情况；对比分析流域内应征收费额与实际收缴额，以考察用水户的缴费合规性；分析从收费收益中获取的财政资金的使用情况，尤其是流域投资计划所规定的各项行动；复盘取水、耗水及有机污染物排放等用水活动的演变趋势，以评估水资源使用费对水资源合理利用的影响；对比南帕拉伊巴河（Paraíba do Sul river）、皮拉西卡巴-卡皮瓦里-容迪亚伊河（Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiaí rivers）、多西河（Doce river）与圣弗朗西斯科河盆地等流域针对主要用水类型的定价机制。研究表明，用水户的缴费合规性正逐步提升。尽管2013年有超过91%的用水户按时缴费，但通过收费获取的财政资金及其管理模式仍无法满足流域保护行动的实际投资需求。针对取水行为，未观测到水资源使用费的显著调控效果；而针对耗水与有机污染物排放行为，使用费虽产生了积极影响，但效果较为有限。研究建议对水资源用水的参考流量及计费参数进行优化调整；同时建议针对圣弗朗西斯科河盆地，开展相关研究以借鉴南帕拉伊巴河、皮拉西卡巴-卡皮瓦里-容迪亚伊河及多西河流域已实施的使用费模型机制——该类模型通过核定流量与实测流量对使用费模型进行动态调整。总体而言，尽管圣弗朗西斯科河盆地的水资源使用费制度实施时间较短，但该制度正逐步完善并趋于成熟，将为流域的环境可持续发展提供重要助力。