South Sudan water sector is undergoing improvements as access to safe water supply and sanitation services is still in limited. The water supply sources include ground water, protected springs, shallow wells, deep boreholes, swamps, surface water and rainwater. The Government is committed to the provision of safe water through the establishment of South Sudan urban Water Corporation.
Regulatory Framework in Water Sector
Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources
The ministry’s mandate is drawing up of polices, guidelines and plans for water resources management; development; utilization; and provision of sanitation services, so as to improve welfare and productivity of the people of South Sudan.
Functions:
The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources performs the following functions and duties:
- Draw up and oversee the implementation of policies, guidelines, master plans and regulations for water resources development, conservation and management in South Sudan;
- Encourage and where appropriate, fund scientific research into the development of water resources in South Sudan;
- Oversee the operation of the Water Corporation of Southern Sudan to ensure it performs its functions as laid out in the relevant Act;
- Undertake or supervise the design, construction and management of dams and other surface water storage infrastructure for irrigation, human and animal consumption and hydro-electricity generation;
- Set tariffs for the sale of water for whatever purpose;
- Draw up policy on rural and urban water resource development and management;
- Implement ground-water supplies of drinking water for the rural populations and make provisions for local community management and maintenance of constructed water supplies until such times as State and local governments have the capacity to undertake such functions;
- Initiate irrigation development and management schemes;
- Inspection of rural water yards;
- Draw up and oversee the implementation of rural flood control policy;
- Protection of the Sudd and other wetlands from pollution;
- Participate in international bodies charged with management of the Nile River basin;
- Water hyacinth management and control;
- Map water resources and carry out hydrological studies and research;
- Design and implement surface water resources projects including those for irrigation schemes;
- Establish flood warning schemes and other measures to protect against floods; and
- Advise and support States and local governments in their responsibilities for water supply and build their capacity to assume all functions vested by the Constitution and Government of RSS policy.
Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Policy
The overall goal of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Policy is to improve access to safe water supply and sanitation facilities and to promote hygiene education for all people living in rural areas of Southern Sudan.
Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Policy
GOSS is committed to ensuring rapidly growing urban populations benefit from access to safe, affordable and reliable water supply and sanitation services. The overall objective of UWSS policy is to ensure efficient development and management of UWSS services on a sustainable and equitable basis.
Water resource management policy (WRM)
The overall goal of WRM policy is to promote effective management of quantity, quality and reliability of available water resources in order to maximize social and economic benefits while ensuring long term environmental sustainability.
Government of South Sudan Water Policy
The overall goal of the GOSS Water Policy is to support social development and economic growth by promoting efficient, equitable and sustainable development and use of available water resources, and effective delivery of water and sanitation services in South Sudan.
Water sector in South Sudan has been summarized to include the following
Challenges in Water Sector
Water Bottling Companies in South Sudan
South Sudan Urban Water Corporation