More than three years after the adoption of the Law ‘On Water Drainage and Wastewater Treatment’, the Cabinet of Ministers is once again attempting to introduce corresponding amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences. The new draft law expands the list of offences in the ‘sewerage’ sector and sets out penalties.
EcoPolitic analysed the document.
Government draft law No. 16054 “On Amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences in connection with the adoption of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Water Drainage and Wastewater Treatment’” was registered on the Verkhovna Rada’s website on 9 September. The law giving rise to these amendments was adopted on 12 January 2023.
The government had already attempted to amend the Administrative Code by tabling a similar bill on 15 August 2025. As it had not been supported in the space of almost a year, the document was withdrawn on 16 July 2026 following a change in the composition of the Cabinet of Ministers. Bill No. 16054 is therefore the second attempt to regulate the issue of liability for breaches in the field of wastewater management.
New infringements and liability
The draft bill clarifies Article 61 of the Administrative Code. If adopted, its provisions will apply not only to damage caused to hydraulic structures through a breach of operating regulations, but also to water management systems. Centralised wastewater disposal facilities and systems have been added to the article. The penalties remain unchanged: a fine of 50–100 non-taxable minimum incomes for members of the public, and 100–200 for public officials. This amounts to 850–1,700 UAH and 1,700–3,400 UAH respectively.
The document also introduces new offences not previously covered by the Administrative Code:
Article 829 – breach of the rules on primary record-keeping in the field of wastewater disposal. Owing to the specific nature of such acts, penalties are imposed only on officials and range from 100 to 200 non-taxable minimum incomes (from 1,700 to 3,400 UAH);
Article 1541 – breaches of legislation relating to wastewater disposal. Penalties under this article will involve the same fines as those under Article 61.
In the field of waste management, there are plans to make fines significantly stricter. EcoPolitics previously reported on government draft bills intended to amend the Administrative and Criminal Codes. If these bills are passed, some offences will now cost tens of times more to settle. For example, for damaging woodland, members of the public will pay 5,100 UAH instead of 1,530 UAH, whilst public officials will pay 17,000 UAH instead of 4,250 UAH. For a repeat offence, the fine will rise to 51,000 UAH.
