​​Accordingly, authorizing the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to issue and use the seal of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in extending, adjusting, suspending, revoking, reissuing and returning water resource operation permits and transferring water resource exploitation rights in some cases.

Specifically, exploiting underground water for projects with flow from 20m³/day and night to less than 1,000m³/day and night; reservoirs and irrigation dams exploiting and using surface water for agricultural production and aquaculture with a flow of less than 1m³/sec and a total capacity of less than 1.5 million m³; other water exploitation and use works for agricultural production and aquaculture with an exploitation flow of less than 2.5m³/sec; reservoirs and irrigation dams other than those specified in point b of this clause with a total capacity of less than 10 million m³; exploiting and using surface water to generate electricity with an installed capacity of less than 1,000Kw; exploiting and using surface water for other purposes with a flow of less than 20,000m³/day and night.

At the same time, authorizing the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to issue, extend, adjust, suspend, revoke, reissue and return water resource operation permits and transfer the rights to exploit water resources in the case of underground water exploitation for projects with a flow rate of over 10m³/day and night to less than 20m³/day and night.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment and People's Committees of districts, towns and cities are responsible for organizing appraisal, inspection and issuance, extension, adjustment, suspension, revocation, re-issuance and return of water resource permits for water resource exploitation projects as authorized; are responsible before the PPC and before the law for the implementation of authorized contents; compile data and periodically report to the PPC on the contents implemented as authorized.