Constitutionalization of drinking water policies

A separate constitution needs to be designed to implement safe drinking water policies in developing countries

6 Answers

1. Syeda Gul, thanks for your concern. However, in my opinion, mere constitutionalisation may not suffice in this regard. Rather other important aspects are might be (a) Strong Political WILL and SUPPORT. (b) Massive Approach (c) Adequate Capacity Development (d) Community Orientation for Operation and Maintenance & Sustainabilty. (e) Etc. Thanking you. Regards. Nripendra Kumar Sarma Guwahati, Assam, India

2. Poor water and sanitation conditions is not an ordinary issue it is slowly and gradually spreading incurrable diseases if Govt of developing countries design a constitution they will allocate fund for it and they will be enforced by social sector to works for the improvement of exsisting WATSAN facilities.

3. Indeed technical expertise are highly needed in the water and environment sector and these should be backed by the right and continuously updated policies.

4. Interesting responses from both Johannes and Harold. Syeda, you will be surprised to note that most developing countries have adapted most proposed methodologies in delivery of water and sanitation services. As opposed to South African's stand on water policy especially domestic, most countries lack the capacity both financial and human to deliver Water and sanitation services effectively. Above all, whether the issues has been constitutionalized or not; it all goes down to whether there is effective will towards improving domestic supply. Even in cases where financial support has been there as noted by Harold corruption retrogresses all efforts.

5. I disagree. Your proposal won’t change the inability of governments to deliver services… In terms of our constitution, South Africa is one of the counties with the most progressive water and environmental legislation. We’ve got awesome research facilities, universities, water and environmental laws and exceptional scientists, contractors and engineers. However, the reality: 1. Currently, only 0.4% of people in government are qualified for their jobs, most of them in national government. This means a complete void of technical and financial management in local municipalities who is tasked with delivering services. 2. Our budget shortfall, in terms of our National Water Resource Strategy, in the next 10 years is R 330 billion (US$ 35 billion). 17% of this budget is for new infrastructure for previously unserviced, 34 % is for migration and urbanization and a massive 49 % of the budget is required for maintenance of existing infrastructure. (Shocking if you look at government’s corrupt expenditure over the past decade which amounts to R 600 billion). 3. South Africa is 128/132 on the 2012 Yale Environmental Performance Index. 4. 80% of our rivers are endangered, 40% critically endangered. So my answer is this… We as a developing country do not require more rules and regulation. We require the right people in government, people that will transfer tax revenue into value added infrastructure and services. People that convert academic research into sustainable outcomes.

6. Syeda I am of the opinion that we must slow down the writing, postulating, philosophizing and the like on IWRM. What there is a dire need for is people with the background and expertise in the developing countries that knows the background and who can assist with IMPLEMENTATION of the masses of ideas that only float around on paper in learned areas. We need do'ers - we do not have. We have masses of writers it seems.