Legal Dimensions of Water Resource Management: Rights, Responsibilities, and Regulations

Abstract

As the burden on freshwater systems increases due to population growth, growth in industry, and climate variability, managing water resources has become a more difficult legal and environmental task. By examining the connections between rights, obligations, and regulatory frameworks in various jurisdictions, this study investigates the legal aspects of water governance. The study highlights significant deficiencies in the current legal framework and assesses the efficacy of current regulatory mechanisms using a mixed-method approach that incorporates academic legal evaluations, field-level studies, and stakeholder interviews. The results show that strong regulatory institutions, enforceable obligations, and well-defined water rights greatly improve compliance, lessen conflict, and encourage sustainable water usage. Nonetheless, poor enforcement capabilities, inconsistent legal interpretation, and low general legal awareness persist in undermining governance results. In order to increase institutional responsibility, enhance transparency, and standardize regulatory procedures, the report suggests an integrated legal framework. This framework provides water authorities and policymakers with a thorough manual for creating sustainable and equitable water governance systems that can handle new socio-environmental issues.