MINSTRY OF WATER RESOURCES AND SANITATION (MWRS)

The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) was established in January 2013 as a stand-alone ministry to provide leadership in policies, regulations, standards, collaboration and coordination roles in the development and management of water resources, transboundary waters, water harvesting & storage including water and environmental sanitation development.

In July 2024, the mandate of sanitation was shifted from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Water Resources; now the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.

The Ministry now has an overarching mandate to provide water and sanitation sector leadership, formulate and implement policies, regulations and standards and to engender collaboration and cooperation amongst WASH sector stakeholders. The Ministry supervises four institutions/agencies segregated into Water Supply Institutions and Regulatory Institutions.

Vision

To ensure climate-resilient and sustainable water resources and environmental sanitation for all

Mission

To formulate and implement policies, regulations, plans and programmes for the sustainable management of the nation’s water resources, and provision of accessible, affordable, adequate, safe water and environmental sanitation services for the well-being of all.

Overall Strategic Objective

The overall vision of the Ministry is to increase access to safely managed water and sanitation services through durable infrastructure for the growing population in a climate resilient and socially inclusive manner.

Strategic Pillar

1. Enhance sector governance and leadership through Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework for Sustainable Water and Environmental Sanitation services
2. Improve Water Supply Infrastructure that is Resilient to climatic impact and friendly to the Physically Challenged
3. Improved environmental sanitation infrastructures that are resilience to climatic impacts (Sanitation, Hygiene and Sewerage Services)
4. Management, Protection, and Conservation of Water Resources and transboundary waters
5. Water Harvesting, Storage, and Flood control management
6. Human Resource Capacity and Working Environment
7. Research and Technology
8. Partnerships and collaboration for resource mobilization (Proposal Writing and Fundraising)

Oversight Agencies

The Ministry supervises and provides technical support to:

1. Guma Valley Water Company (GVWA): Responsible for the provision of water supply and sewerage services to the inhabitants of the Western Area.
2. Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO): Responsible for operating water services to support the operations and maintenance of the systems at a reasonable cost and on a self-supporting basis in all provincial cities, and district headquarters towns and facilitating safe water and sanitation services in rural communities and small towns
3. National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA): Responsible for regulating, utilising, protecting, conserving, controlling and generally managing water resources throughout Sierra Leone.
4. Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC): Regulates the provision of the highest quality of electricity and water to consumers in Sierra Leone.

Structure of the Ministry

The New Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has two divisions as follows:

1. Administrative (Shared Services): This division manages the resources (human and financial) and programmes, facilitating policy formulation and implementation in the sector.

2. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Directorate: The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Directorate provides support for improved access to safe and sustainable water supply, sanitation and hygiene including the operations and maintenance. The Directorate undertakes programmes to ensure sustainable and equitable water resources management through the following units:

• Policy, Planning and Research Unit
• Water Resources Management Unit
• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Unit
• Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Unit
• Sanitation and Hygiene Unit
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Information Management Unit

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For further information contact MOPED/DACO
NAO Building
Tower Hill, Freetown
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