The Palau Water Policy (2025-2045).

This Policy is structured around two components: water resource management and water supply and sanitation.
The WRM component focuses on the sustainable protection, restoration, and management of Palau’s freshwater systems, including the regulation of water abstraction and the protection of watersheds, rivers, aquifers, and groundwater. It aims to balance water use across sectors such as agriculture, industry, tourism, and urban development, while ensuring that ecological needs are met. The Policy underscores the importance of monitoring water quality and availability, improving data systems, and enforcing regulatory frameworks for water charges and water pricing to promote equitable access. It also emphasizes climate adaptation strategies, such as mitigating risks related to drought and flooding.
The WSS component focuses on providing reliable and equitable water and sanitation services to all citizens, prioritizing the improvement of operational efficiency and infrastructure resilience. This includes reducing non-revenue water, expanding access to underserved communities, and ensuring safe sanitation practices. The Policy supports the right to water, ensuring that all residents, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to safe and clean water. In doing so, it emphasizes the need for affordable water pricing and strategies to avoid undue financial burdens on low-income groups, while ensuring the financial sustainability of the water supply and sanitation systems.
Implementation is designed as an adaptive process, with capacity-building, technical support, and financial mechanisms to ensure sustainability. Monitoring and evaluation systems will track progress and inform adjustments. The Policy emphasizes stakeholder engagement, public awareness, and education to promote sustainable practices across all sectors. The anticipated outcomes include the sustainable use of freshwater, improved water services, enhanced resilience to climate risks, and the protection of public health and ecosystems.