National Water Supply Policy 2016.

The Rwanda 2016 National Water Supply Policy is the result of Ministry of Infrastructure aim to provide clear direction for the implementation of activities in the water supply sub-sector. The main goal of the Policy is to ensure sustainable, equitable, reliable and affordable access to safe drinking water for all Rwandans, as a contribution to improving public health and socio-economic development. The defined objectives are to: 1. raise rural water supply coverage to 100 per cent by fast-tracking implementation of a strategic investment programme; 2. ensure affordable rural water supply services and sustainable functionality of rural water supply infrastructure; 3. ensure safe, reliable and affordable urban water supply services for all (100 per cent service coverage by 2018) while striving for full cost recovery; 4. ensure safe, affordable and reliable water supply services for schools, health facilities and other public places; and 5. strengthen the sector’s institutional and capacity-building framework.
The document includes a reference to other relevant policies to above mentioned objectives, such as the Health Policy 2014 and Health Sector Strategic Plan (2012–2018). Policy directions with relevance to the water supply sub-sector include the health cross-sector collaboration has to be strengthened to tackle multi-factorial determinants affecting the health of the population (poverty reduction, nutrition and food security, water and sanitation, human rights, education and social protection, empowerment of youth and vulnerable populations). One of the policy principles is the "Priority to basic services", according to which, each person and community has equal right to access basic water services. In order to address the disparities in coverage, priority is given to the areas having low access to water supply.
The Vision 2020 aspiration is that all Rwandans will have access to safe drinking water in 2020. The water supply policy is coherent with EDPRS 2, Rwanda’s medium-term framework for achieving its long-term development aspirations. Improved water supply service delivery is directly related to the following EDPRS 2 Thematic Area priorities: Connect Rural Communities to Economic Opportunity through Improved Infrastructure; Integrated Approach to Land Use and Human Settlements; and Transform the economic geography of Rwanda by facilitating urbanisation and promoting secondary cities. The Policy has a strong focus on rural development, highlighting that the prevailing high poverty rates in rural areas require a pro-poor approach that ensures access to safe water for the poor. This approach will be considered for water tariffs.
Other relevant Policy principle is the "community participation". the purpose is that the beneficiaries of water supply and sanitation services shall be actively involved in planning, decision-making and oversight throughout the project implementation cycle. In particular, they will choose the service level that responds to their needs and capacities. The document also foresees and special consideration for women and children, determining that all sector activities shall be designed and implemented in a way that ensures equal participation and representation of men and women, and that pays due attention to the viewpoints, needs and priorities of women. These principles are consistent with the "Inclusive programme approach", included in objective 5 (Strengthen the sector’s institutional and capacity-building framework). Capacity-building efforts will consider all sector stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.
Finally, the Policy highlights the impact of weather and climate events (such as variability, seasonality and extreme events) on drinking-water availability and quality.In that sense, with respect to the WASH sector, increasing climate resilience and effective disaster risk reduction strategies require a focus on a reduction in the likelihood that individuals feel the effects of climate change and related shocks. This can be achieved through programming that seeks to both understand the determinants of climate risk exposure to WASH services and act on them to minimize the exposure of individuals. The concept of risk-informed planning, more priority to water resource conservation/protection, and water safety planning as a tool of risk-informed planning is pointed in the document as a mandatory requirement.