The Water Act 1959 forms the legal basis for a large number of measures and the legal instruments required for their implementation, in particular for the following topics: the use of the waters; the protection and the cleanliness of the waters; the protection against the dangers of water. The Act contains provisions relating to water rights in Austria. Water is either public or private. Article 2 defines public waters, i.e. rivers, streams, brooks, canals, lakes and their arms, private waters are inter alia, groundwater existing on the territory of a private owner. The Act is divided into 14 Parts as follows: Legal property of water (1); Use of waters (2); Sustainable management and in particular protection of waters from pollution (3); Defence from and maintenance of waters (4); General duties relating to management of water resources (5); Catchment-related planning and implementation of measures for sustainable management for the purposes of protection and cleanliness, as well as for Defense and care of the waters (6); Survey of the condition of waters - water cycle and water quality (hydrography) (7); Enforcement (8); Water cooperatives (9); Water associations (10); Administration and administrative procedures (11); Supervision of waters and water facilities (12); Offences and penalties (13); Final and transitional provisions (14).