In April 2015, 85 countries signed an international agreement that is designed to help governments understand and deal with the challenges of providing potable water for all citizens globally.
The question of course is whether establishing an empowered regulatory authority will be sufficient to have the desired effect, even with a clear mandate.
Will The Lisbon Charter Help Get Water Where Needed?
Some governments have made great strides in supplying clean water to millions more by following mandates and instituting some innovative measures, such as Zambia and Peru.
Zambia’s National Water and Sanitation Council, established in 1997, incentivised service providers to increase coverage and water quality; this was done by encouraging them to reduce water losses from broken and leaking pipes, reduce costs, adjust tariffs and collect more income with which to improve infrastructure.
Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento (Sunass), Peru’s regulatory authority, got the government to include eco-system service payments as part of the water tariff, thereby creating funding for investment in infrastructure and conservation measures that are critical to ensuring a sustainable supply of fresh water.
During the seventh World Water Forum, 85 countries signed the Lisbon Charter, the aim of which is to provide a framework for governments to aid them in better understanding their particular challenges and making informed decisions on water policy and regulation.
The Lisbon Charter places substantial responsibility on governments to take a lead and prioritise water, sanitation and waste-water services, but it also spotlights the role and responsibilities of consumers and service providers.
The charter provides a vision; that governments ensure that the most basic needs of all citizens are met; this will eliminate inequalities and discrimination towards the achievement of clean potable water, sanitation and wastewater services for all. It is hoped that this will ensure the buy-in from providers and consumers alike, and that they will willingly accept their roles.
Good governance in adopting the mandate laid down by the Lisbon Charter should ensure that structure, accountability and transparency is brought to each country’s national water sector and should transmute into making the human right to water a reality.
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