Possibilities of Clean Water Ordinance−Nationwide Case Studies including
Hino City
Toshiki Ogasa: Green and Clean Water Division, Environmental Coexistence
Department, Hino City
Hino City enacted "Conservation of Clean Water: Ordinance for
Renovation of Spring Water and Groundwater, and Conservation of Rivers
and Aqueducts ("Clean Water Ordinance")" in October
2006. Ordinance for Cleaning Public Water of Hino City enacted in 1976
to ensure water flow throughout the year, was revised and replaced
by the new ordinance. Intended waterfront included rivers, aqueducts,
biotopes, etc. within the city; the law concretely regulates the followings
in its sections: place for conservation, way of conservation, designation
of points for opening covered channels, designation of groups to be
supported, etc. The revision of the former law was preceded by nationwide
researches. The first ordinance for clean water was Protecting Clean
Water of Hirosegawa in Sendai City enacted in 1974. The law regulated
the factory effluent, and penalties. However, it did not include the
way of adjustment with river administrator, and regal consideration
on property rights. The Clean Water Conservation Ordinance for Kagamigawa
and the one for Shimantogawa in Kochi Prefecture were established through
the coordination with river administrator. The examples of ordinances
established by basic autonomous bodies and autonomous bodies of river
areas are as follows: Ohyodogawa in Miyazaki Prefecture, Kikuchigawa
in Kumamoto Prefecture, Oirasegawa, Shimantogawa ect. The meaning of
the clean water ordinance is the confirmation and statement of the
will of autonomous body, regardless of the type (charter or ideal),
though such ordinances are under restrictions of river law. Within
Tama region, Clean Water Ordinance of Akiruno City is the first one,
which can be classified as spiritual act. As for aqueducts, "Aqueduct
Conservation Ordinance of Kanazawa City" regulates landscape,
opening of the covered water channels, water flow throughout the year,
technical and financial supports for conservation, protecting agreement,
etc. Many cases on groundwater conservation can be found in all over
the country; for spring water, Koganei City established "Conservation
of Groundwater and Spring Water Ordinance" in 2004; this was the
first law on spring water conservation of the nation. This is the member
bill centered on liver net. The number of osmotic measuring box is
one of the greatest in the world. In Higashi Kurume, "Spring Water
and Clean Water Conservation Ordinance" was established; in Kodaira
City, "Kodaira City Irrigation Channel Ordinance" was established
in 2001. The trigger of the establishment of ordinance was the limited
proprietary right of land of waterway disposed by the nation to the
city associated with decentralization of authority. "Regular River
Control Ordinance" of Hino City established in 1996, before the
decentralization, was a kind of appeal to the upper organization by
the former mayor.
I will outline the engagement for waterfront renovation in Hino. The
U-shaped irrigation channel was renovated into an unlined waterway
within paddy field park with 2500m2 by the efforts of citizens associated
with rearrangement of Yoso Mori Park. The paddy field is utilized by
surrounding schools and inhabitants for agricultural experiences. A
former officer of green and clean water division moved to the block
rearrangement division was the key person of its realization. Only
20 % of waterway of rearrangement land remained, though the almost
same length was kept here. In the confluence of Asakawa and Hodokubogawa,
wand was built based on citizens' proposal. The banks of class-A river
were destroyed and rebuilt into natural embankment. Since 1989, researches
on spring water have been continued. In 1996, field museum concept
linking spring waters was conceived. Spring water waterfront conservation
plan was established in 2002. For green conservation such as hills
and cliff lines, eight hectares in area has become under public ownership
during eight years. Within Hino City, three famous spring waters in
Tokyo exist: Kurokawa, Ozawa Green Area, etc. The irrigation water
protection system was established in 2002, with 50 groups including
500 volunteers.
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