National Water Policy 1994.

This National Water Policy is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at promoting sustainable water resources development for (i) facilitating the equitable provision of adequate quantity and quality of water for all competing groups of users at acceptable costs and (ii) ensuring the security of supply under varying conditions. This entails establishing a well-defined institutional structure to achieve the intended policy objectives. The Policy follows a holistic approach to water management in which a comprehensive spectrum of demands are recognized and evaluated to assess their priority. Necessary measures and strategies to achieve long-term sustainability and effective management of the water resources are as follows (i) recognizing the important role of the water sector in the overall socio-economic development of the country; (ii) vesting ownership of water resources in the country under the State control; (iii) promoting water resources development through an integrated management approach; (iv) defining clear institutional responsibilities of all stakeholders in the sector; (v) developing an appropriate institutional and legal framework; (vi) promoting disaster preparedness to mitigate impacts of extreme occurrence of water such as flood and drought; (vii) recognizing water as an economic good.
To make agriculture more productive and sustainable, the Water Policy aims to identify water quality specifications necessary for water for irrigation (that does not cause soil degradation, enhances high crop yield, and ensures the sustainability of production), livestock watering, and freshwater aquaculture (free from any contamination so as not to cause ill health problems to animals, aquatic life, consumers and users of the product).
Rural poverty can be tackled by (i) increasing access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for the population; (ii) ensuring that Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) Programs are community-based through 1. formation of Water Committees for effective coordination, management and mobilization of resources; 2. integration of community education, motivation, health and hygiene, and water awareness programs in development, operation, and maintenance of RWSS programs; 3. development of standardized educational materials and training of trainers; (iii) developing an emergency and contingency plans to mitigate impacts of drought and floods in rural areas.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the document proposes a number of interventions in the sector, mainly (i) assess the water resource potential from both surface and ground water sources; (ii) undertake public awareness campaigns on development and conservation of water resources; (iii) strengthen the water resources data bank in DWA to incorporate all developmental activities that have an impact on water resources; (iv) involve research institutions in the development of appropriate and environmentally sound technologies and ensure their adaptability to local conditions; (v) undertake environmental impact assessments prior to implementation of any developmental project; (vi) establish an early warning system pertaining to floods and drought; (vii) provide financial resources to establish and strengthen research activities in climatic variations related to flood and drought occurrence; (viii) promote effective coordination links between various institutions during emergence situations; (ix) develop a well defined investment program for sustainable RWSS; (x) promote Urban Water Supply and Sanitation (UWSS); (xi) provide adequate, safe and cost effective water supply and sanitation services with regard to environmental protection; (xii) maintain strategic reserves or stockpile of water treatment chemicals.
As for Governance, the Department of Water Affairs in the Ministry of Energy and Water Development is the main public institution charged with the responsibility of overall water resources management in the country, aided by a number of other institutions involved with some aspects of water resources development. Urgent interventions at the institutional and legal level are (i) separation of water resources management responsibilities from those related to water supply; (ii) concentration of water resources management activities in one line Ministry; (iii) identification of weaknesses in the existing institutional structure regarding water resources management; (iv) working on reorganization measures for water resources management; (v) strengthening capacity in water resources management activities in the DWA; (vi) enactment of appropriate legislation to deal with water resources management at the national level as well as those dealing with internationally shared water resources; (vii) ensuring that water tariffs take account of all the economic costs.