A3.1. Water and Sewage Prices

A3.2. Water Effluent Charges and Taxes (in addition to sewage charges)

Abbreviations:
Type: NCF = non-compliance fee; EC = emission charge.
Goal/function: Compl = Compliance; RR = revenue raising; Incent = incentive function.
Factors determining charge rates: Quan = quantity of emissions; Use = type of water use (drinking water, fishery etc.) where effluent goes; ExceedS = exceedance of standard; Purif = level of purification of wastewater before emitting it; Concentr = concentration of pollutants in water; Time = time period of emissions; MinS = minimal salary of the country; Tox = toxicity of pollutants; Regio = regional factors; Source = source of effluent (i.e., charge differentiation by economic sector).
Level / revenue leaders: DSS = dissolved suspended substances.
Revenue distribution: NEF = national environmental fund; SEF = sub-national environmental fund; NB = national budget; SB = sub-national budget.

Notes:
Water pollution non-compliance fees are also in force in Croatia and FR Yugoslavia. They are not described in detail here because they have no dynamic rates (i.e., they are penalty instruments with fixed rates).
Estonia: 1) The data listed represent total revenue from both, emission charge and non-compliance fee. 2) For emissions without permit the rates are: BOD7 - 947$, Nitrogen - 791$, Phosphorus - 1426$.
Lithuania: 3) If an emission source has emissions of one pollutant above the standard, the NCF in Lithuania has to be paid for all pollutant emissions of a source not just for the one for which the standard is exceeded. Consequently, this system has the potential to create very high marginal penalty rates and therefore provides substantial incentive for a pollution source to comply with standards. 4) Revenue data are only available for all ECs and NCFs in force in Lithuania (i.e., EC and NCF on air poll., EC and NCF on water pollution, NCF on waste disposal): total revenue from pollution charges was USD 4.9 mln in 1994 and USD 17.8 mln in 1997 (i.e., yearly revenue/capita was USD 1.3 in 1994 and USD 4.8 in 1997); total revenue from pollution fines was USD 0.3 mln in 1994 and USD 1.3 mln in 1997 (i.e., yearly revenue/capita was USD 0.1 in 1994 and USD 0.4 in 1997). 5) This percentage is an estimation for the collection efficiency of all pollution charges in force in Lithuania (air and water emission charges and all non-compliance fees).
Poland: 6) Data are for EC ??and?? NCF (to be clarified - probably only for EC). The collection efficiency for charges on saline water (from mining) is very low: 12% in 1994; 5% in 1995; 14% in 1996. 7) Charge differentiation according to source or economic sector discharging wastewater is made in case of BOD5 and COD only. Chlorate and sulfate ions in saline water are charged differently when discharged directly to surface water or when discharged to dosing acquifers. 8) 10% of total revenue goes to local (gmina) funds and 54% to regional (voivod) funds, except for charges on saline mining wastewater discharges where the revenue distribution is as follows: 10% gmina funds; 90% NEF (or 50%-50%?.).
Romania: 9) In case of charged enterprises with a pollution permit, the revenue goes to the Water Fund; if an enterprise without a permit is charged, the revenue goes to the State Budget.
Slovenia: 10) The Slovenian wastewater charge is a mixed NCF/EC: for industrial wastewater, the charge has to be paid only when legally fixed minimal concentration standards are exceeded - therefore the charge has a non-compliance function. The charge was introduced in 1995. 11) From the year 2000, also organic halogenated compounds will be chargeable, and, from the year 2003 on also phosphorus and nitrogen. The charges are calculated based on the rate of a "pollution unit" which can be illustrated at the following example: for 1997, 1 pollution unit was USD 7.5. For COD, 1 pollution unit is equivalent to the emission of 50 kg O2 and has to be paid if discharge concentration is higher than 20 mg/l and yearly emissions exceed 250 kg/year.
Hungary: 12) In addition to the described NCF on wastewater, there is also a NCF on sewerage which can be levied on non-household point sources which discharge wastewater into the sewage system. This NCF is calculated and imposed by the respective municipality while the revenue goes to the companies operating the sewage treatment plant. Data on total revenue are not available. Often, companies are charged which are in financial troubles and they do not pay. Charge levels are too low to give any real enforcement power. The relation between the wastewater NCF and the sewerage NCF is not coordinated enough.