HRVATSKE VODE

• Legal entity for water management
• Ulica grada Vukovara 220, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia 
• VAT No.: 1209361
• TIN: 28921383001
• Phone: +3851 6307-333
• Fax: +3851 6155-910
• E-mail: voda@voda.hr
• General Manager – Mr Zoran Đuroković, M. S. C. E. 
• Deputy General Manager - Mr Valentin Dujmović, M. Ecol.
• Deputy General Manager - Mr Davor Vukmirić, B. S. Biotech.

MANAGEMENT BOARD

• Mr Davor Filipović, PhD - Chairman
• Mr Radimir Čačić - Deputy Chairman
• Ms Bernardica Rubčić - Member
• Mr Mario Kos - Member
• Mr Darko Dobrović - Member - Employees’ Representative

Hrvatske vode is a legal entity for water management established by the Water Act (Official Gazette no. 153/09 and 130/11).

The Republic of Croatia is the founder of Hrvatske vode.

Hrvatske vode is a sui generis legal entity subject to regulations that apply to institutions. The governing body is the Management Board. The General Manager is in charge of managing operations.

Basic principles

Water management principles
Water is not a commercial product such as certain other products, but a heritage that has to be guarded, protected and used sparingly and rationally.
Water shall be managed in accordance with the principle of integrity of the water system and the principle of sustainable development which meets the needs of the present generation, without threatening the right and possibility of future generations to meet their needs.
Water management shall adapt to global climate change.
For water use exceeding the limits of permissible general use, as well as for any deterioration of water quality, compensation shall be paid in proportion to the benefit gained, or the degree and extent of the impact on water quality, respecting the economic value of water, recovery of water use costs and protection of the aquatic environment and other environmental components.

The protection and use of water is based on the precautionary principle, undertaking preventive measures, removal of damage caused to the aquatic environment at the place where the damage occurred and based on the "polluter pays", i.e. "user pays" principles.
When undertaking activities related to water preservation, protection and use, competent authorities, i.e. competent legal entities pursuant to the Water Act shall make decisions as close as possible to the place where water is exposed to certain influence or where it is used.
Flood risk management is based on the principles of solidarity, priority in needs, emergency, permanent immobilisation and mobilisation. It is planned and coordinated at the level of river basin districts for the purpose of reducing the risk from adverse effects of floods, especially related to human life, health and property, the environment, cultural heritage, economic activities and infrastructure.
The public shall be informed and participate in the making of planning documents pursuant to the Water Act and special regulations related to the protection of the environment.
Water management that has cross-border influence is conducted through cooperation with other countries, by concluding and implementing international agreements, sharing information on cross-border influences on water and the aquatic environment, on major accidents as defined by environmental protection regulations, as well as through international exchange of information on water and the aquatic environment.

Basic principles concerning relationships with third parties

Basic principles concerning relationships with third parties are based on professional, impartial and polite behaviour.
Using expert knowledge in order to assist third parties in exercising their rights, at the same time acting in accordance with the principle of legality and the protection the public interest.
Equal treatment of all, without discrimination or preferential treatment on the basis of age, nationality, ethnic or social affiliation, language or racial origin, political or religious beliefs or inclinations, disability, education, social position, gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation or on any other basis, as well as treating disabled individuals and other individuals with specific needs with particular attention.

It is characteristic of water management not only in Croatia that it does not make any market-based profit. No products are manufactured, and during the performance of business activities and execution of public authorities related to water management, no services are provided for which it is possible to achieve equivalent prices from individuals that are users in the water system. Users cannot renounce the effects achieved by flood defence and other forms of protection from adverse effects of water and from pollution, as well as useful effects of other water management-related works that are conducted in the interest of all legal entities and natural persons. This activity creates conditions for normal life and work of all individuals and for performing various activities.

Hrvatske vode perform the activities of water management within the limits of the following tasks:

Preparation of planning documents for water management

Preparation of the draft Water Management Strategy, preparation of the draft River Basin Management Plan, preparation of the draft long-term construction programmes, enactment of detailed plans and programmes accompanying the River Basin Management Plan, preparation of the draft financial plan and enactment of the Water Management Plan; studies and analytical tasks - preparation of terms of reference, conceptual solutions, studies and investment programmes and review of design documents, with the exception of control of final designs in terms of regulations on physical planning and construction

Water regulation and protection from adverse effects of water

Monitoring and establishing hydrological conditions (including monitoring, collection, control, processing, keeping and publication of hydrological data, analysis of the hydrological regime, forecasting extreme hydrological events, floods and droughts), assessment of flood risks, monitoring the status of watercourses and status of water regulation and protection facilities; investment tasks in the construction and maintenance of water regulation and protection facilities; supervision of construction and maintenance of water regulation and protection facilities; management of flood risks; management, supervision and implementation of preventive, regular and emergency flood defence

Amelioration drainage

Investment tasks in the construction and maintenance of basic amelioration drainage facilities, supervision of construction and maintenance of basic amelioration drainage facilities

Water use

Determining water reserves, care for strategic water reserves, water research works, giving opinions on implementing regulations adopted pursuant to the Water Act by local and/or regional self-government units; taking other measures for the intended and rational use of water; co-financing construction of public water supply facilities and supervision of purposeful use of funds during construction

Water protection

Management of water quality, implementation of monitoring of surface waters, including the coastal water, and groundwater, including laboratory tasks during monitoring, implementation and supervision of implementation of other bodies under obligation to implement the National Plan of Measures for Sudden and Accidental Pollution, giving opinions and exceptionally approvals on implementing regulations adopted pursuant to the Water Act by local and/or regional self-government units, co-financing construction of public wastewater collection facilities and supervision of purposeful use of funds during construction

Irrigation

Management of projects of construction of irrigation facilities in the ownership of regional self-government units in accordance with national programmes and projects, co-financing construction of irrigation facilities in the ownership of regional self-government units

Management of the public water estate Keeping water documents

Keeping water documents and Integrated Water Information System and issuing water rights documents pursuant to the Water Act

Expert tasks

Expert tasks for the purpose of awarding concessions for the commercial use of waters

Expert supervision

Expert supervision of implementation of conditions from water rights documents and concession conditions (water supervision)

Calculation and collection of fees

Calculation and collection of concession fees for the commercial use of water

Calculation and collection of water fees

Calculation and collection of water fees pursuant to the Act regulating financing of water management

Management of special projects

Management of special projects specified by law, a decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia or the Management Board of Hrvatske vode,
and other tasks under the competence of Hrvatske vode pursuant to the Water Act, other act and the Charter of Hrvatske vode

Mission – general objectives

The mission of Hrvatske vode is to manage waters in the Republic of Croatia in order to protect human lives, health and property from adverse effects of water, as well as to secure permanent availability of water by optimizing economic and environmental benefits in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

Vision

The vision of Hrvatske vode is to continuously fulfil its mission and established objectives, by respecting the highest quality standards, using modern scientific and empirical technologies and methods that are environment- and nature-friendly, to achieve the highest level of agreement with water users and stakeholders with regard to objectives and methods of preserving and protecting water, to raise the awareness of water as being strategic resource, and to assert Hrvatske vode as an expert and reliable national agency for water management.

Objectives

When fulfilling its mission and achieving its vision, Hrvatske vode shall: continuously raise and demand quality, render its business management closer to water users, stakeholders, interested public and the general public, continue implementing a balanced, regular, purposeful, efficient, economical and transparent financial business management that is primarily based on original and autonomous income from water fees, by respecting their purpose and the purpose of budgetary resources, by implementing the required debt bans and limitations, and by respecting the scope of contracting within the limits of valid financial plan and water management plan, increase efficiency through purposeful internal organization, human resource management and development, including permanent expert education, regular and fair distribution of work and tasks, bearing in mind the principle of subsidiarity, constantly improve business management by introducing modern IT solutions, any by improving business processes.