Water & Sanitation Sector Plan 2016 – 2020.

The Water and Sanitation Sector Plan is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The timeframe of this Plan is 4 years between 2016 and 2020. In accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal 6: "Ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all", the overarching development goal for the sector is "Reliable, clean, affordable water and improved sanitation within the framework of Integrated Water Resources Management for a resilient Samoa, sustaining health and alleviating poverty". The objectives to achieve this development goal in the water sector are: (i) strengthened sector governance; (ii) water resources resilience from ridge to reef; (iii) reliable, clean and affordable water supply; (iv) drinking water quality; (v) basic sanitation and hygiene practises; (vi) improved wastewater management; and (vii) disaster risk reduction. Therefore, the purpose of this Sector Plan is to pursue improvements in public health, promote economic growth and ensure the effective management and supply of water resources.
The role of women in the provision, management and safeguarding of water will be strengthened to achieve equity and their participation will be promoted at all levels. Women's committee will be established in every village to be responsible for health, social and community development.
Access to and provision of reliable, clean and affordable water supply will be improved. The watershed management will be improved through integrated water resources management. The rainwater harvesting projects will be implemented. The delivery of piped water supply services will be expanded. Water quality will be improved through new and rehabilitated chlorination facilities. The Drinking Water Safety Plans will be implemented with a special emphasis on rural areas. Standards of hygiene awareness and practice will be improved to reduce the high incidence rates of diarrhoea and other water related diseases. The compliance to sanitation and wastewater standards and regulations will be increased. Access to all available sanitation and wastewater information will be improved and the water resources database will be developed. The surveillance of drinking water quality and water borne diseases will be improved. The enforcement of the legal provisions for drinking water quality and Drinking Water Safety Plans will be strengthened. The water testing laboratory facilities will be developed. Wastewater management and disposal systems will be developed to improve septic tank designs that achieve improved effluent quality, thereby reduce pollutant loads in critical catchments. The sectoral coordination and communication will be strengthened to share information between key stakeholders.
The resilience of water and sanitation sector to climate change will be increased. Flood mitigation measures will be strengthened to reduce incidence and magnitude of flooding. Institutional capacity building will be enhanced in the sphere of disaster risk management. In addition to that, community awareness will be raised on the adverse impacts from unsustainable development, climate change and natural disasters. Stakeholder participation will be encouraged to address negative behaviours toward care of public drains and river channels.
The Ministerial Coordination Committee, the Joint Water and Sanitation Sector Steering Committee, and the Technical Steering Committee effectively coordinate and facilitate the integration of planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation across the Sector. The sub-sector committees in the areas of water Supply, Water Resources, Drinking Water Quality, Sanitation, Flood Mitigation, and Disaster Management shall operate their own program of work, and set their own goals, targets and outcomes. The implementation process will be carried out by the related governmental institutions, the private sector and non-government organizations. The monitoring and reporting system will be improved to measure sector performance. The financial budgeting mechanisms will be strengthened for the effective implementation of this Sector Plan.