National Water Resources Policy.

The National Water Resources Policy (NWRP) provides a framework for leadership and coordinated action in the supply of safe, adequate and financially, technically and environmentally sustainable water services to rural, outer island and urban communities in Kiribati and for the protection, conservation, sustainable use and efficient management of Kiribati’s water resources. Implementation of the NWRP is addressed in the accompanying National Water Resources Implementation Plan (NWRIP). Issues to be urgently addressed include, amongst others, water-borne diseases, contamination of fresh groundwater sources by human settlements and sanitation, impacts of climate variability, financially and hydrologically unsustainable water supply systems and inadequate knowledge and monitoring of the nation’s freshwater resources.
The main body of the NWRP specifies policy goals, policy objectives, planned policy outcomes and the range of strategies that are available to achieve the policy objectives of the NWRP. It also defines organisational and institutional responsibilities. Policy gaols are (in order of prority): 1. Provide safe, socially equitable, financially, technically and environmentally sustainable water supplies to enhance the welfare and livelihood of I-Kiribati; 2. protect and conserve freshwater sources for public water supplies; 3. deliver freshwater efficiently and effectively. policy objectives include: Increase access to safe and reliable water supplies; achieve sustainable water resource management; improve understanding and monitoring of water resources and their use; improve protection of public freshwater sources; increase community awareness of and participation in the protection, management and conservation of water; improve governance in the water sector; decrease unaccounted for water losses, improve cost recovery and find alternate sources of water.
The accompanying National Water Resources Implementation Plan uses the policy objectives and strategies of this policy to develop a 10 year implementation plan detailing activities, indicators and outputs, and responsibilities. Implementation will be overseen by the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities through the National Water and Sanitation Coordination Committee which will report on progress to Cabinet. The Committee will report to Cabinet on the state of the nation’s water resources and on progress in policy implementation annually. The NWRP and its accompanying Implementation Plan will be formally reviewed after five years.