Republican Resolution No.21 of 1997 instituting the General Establishment for Water and Sanitation.

This Resolution consisting of 21 articles aims at creating the General Establishment for Water and Sanitation by integrating two previous institutions (the General Authority for Water and the General Establishment for Water and Sewage) created respectively in 1970 and 1973. The new institution aims at contributing to the completion of the National Plan for economic and social development through the raising of the living standards and improvement of the quality and development of services, such as supply of drinking water; improvement of the domestic, commercial and industrial consumption of water; protection of public health and the environment; and the preservation of groundwater and surface water sources. Its activities to achieve these objectives are stated in article 7. Article 15 specifies that the institution shall be exempted from all taxes and custom duties on materials, tools, equipment and vehicles imported for the purpose of establishing water and sanitation projects, as well as tools and spare parts, fuel and various types and sizes of materials required for the maintenance and operation of the necessary facilities.