ECONOMIC USE OF WATER SECTOR

The article considers the issues of rational water consumption and the basics of interstate relations. The streamflow in nearly all countries of the world makes up the largest part of the inland waters in use which are generated within the borders of a state and the outside waters which flow in from bordering countries. The latter is of big importance for the countries situated in lower reaches of a river basin since their water supply depends on the water-use regime and water contamination level of upstream countries. Under current conditions, due to their development the river basins are basically complexes of linked water objects (reservoirs with dams and hydro power plants, intake facilities and canals, bulkheads and shelter belts) that collectively form a multiunit river- basin system. It can have in- terstate or international status if the river is an international watercourse . In case of collaborative control of such system the main task is to provide on legally, engineeringly and ecologically acceptable basis optimal and safe conditions for the formation, distribution, utilization and protection of water resources.