Water and Sanitation Policy.

This Water and Sanitation Policy of Sierra Leone principally concerns water supply and sanitation (WASH) but also deals with various other issues of management and conservation of water resources. It is divided into four Parts: Current Situation (A); The WASH Policy and Statements (B); The WASH Strategic Plan (C); The WASH Policy Implementation Plan (D). The numbering system used in Part C of this document will also be used to identify Activities, Programmes/Projects during the implementation stage. The numbering system is kept consistent with the thematic areas of activities that were identified in the Policy and these are as follows: 1. Water Resources Management, 2. Urban Water Supply and Sewerage, 3. Rural Water Supply, 4. Hygiene and Sanitation, 5. Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Framework.
Despite the abundant water resources, access to safe drinking water is very limited as a result of unavailable or limited functional infrastructure for water supply. Inadequate water supply, lack or insufficient sanitation facilities, such as poor facilities for safe disposal of water and other domestic waste and lacking or poor toilet facilities together with unhygienic practices represent the sanitation challenges in Sierra Leone. The Policy makes reference to the Sierra Leone Vision 2025, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aim at achieving a high quality livelihood for the people of Sierra Leone. part A also describes the institutional and legal framework (list of legislation outdated) governing the WASH sector.
This water and sanitation policy responds to the urgent need in Sierra Leone for integrated and cross-sectoral approaches to water management and development as well as the provision of safe and adequate water and adequate sanitation facilities. In particular, it advocates: The fundamental human right of access to safe and adequate water to meet basic human needs; Provision of education to improve hygiene practices and increased access to adequate sanitation facilities; Careful management of water as a socially vital economic good to sustain economic growth and to reduce poverty; A participatory approach that will help the conservation and protection of water resources in the country. More broad objectives and specific objectives of policy regarding WASH and specific objectives and policy statements regarding management and conservation of water resources are also defined. The latter concern, among other things, agriculture, mining, industry, fisheries, forestry, environment, and navigation. Due attention is given to reform of the national and local institutional framework governing the water sector. The National Water Resources Board will be established and become the overall responsible institution for Water Resources Management continuum from upstream freshwater sources to freshwater-seawater interface. It will be responsible for implementing the WRM strategies. The Energy and Water Regulatory Authority (EWRA) will be responsible for regulating the water and sewerage services.
Part C sets out policy objectives, challenges and strategies for each of the following water issues: water resources allocation and use (prioritization of water uses); conservation of water resources; water quality management and pollution control; groundwater resources; water and the environment (develop a water management system that protects the environment, ecological system and biodiversity); water resources assessment; water resources planning and development; data and information; research and technological development; training and human resources development; disaster prevention and management; trans-boundary water resources; financing of water resources management. Policy objectives, challenges and strategies are also formulated for water supply and sanitation for urban and rural areas. For the latter, due attention is given to community participation.