Salvadoran deputies agree to create a new Water Resources Law in which it is contemplated that water will not be privatized

This Legislative Assembly release was published using machine translation.

The Ad hoc Commission for the study of the General Law of Water Resources issued a favorable opinion to the new regulation, which will guarantee that water is a fundamental human right for all, that the State will ensure the proper use of the resource and that it is not privatization in any context and form.

The process of drafting the General Water Resources Law has been consulted with different sectors of society, such as Water Boards, churches, universities, public and private institutions, among others, who have provided their inputs for the new law.

“All this article has been based on the proposals that President Bukele made in the Cuscatlán Plan. We have also taken suggestions from the UN, the Water Boards and the population in general, ”said the president of the legislative committee, Sandra Martínez.

The legislators added recommendations that expose the right that people have to water and sanitation that is wholesome, hygienic, safe, social and guarantees the dignity of people, without any discrimination.

Deputy Martínez maintained that for the modification of article 1 of the regulations, the resolution of the UN General Assembly and recommendations of rapporteurs and experts such as Pedro Arrojo and David R. Bollo have been taken into account, in which it is stipulated that all people have the right to water and soluble sanitation.

The Ad Hoc Commission reviewed the preliminary draft before issuing a favorable opinion to include new observations of substance and form for some articles that contain the conformation, attributions and operation of the Salvadoran Water Authority (ASA), among others.

It also established that, prior to a technical study, the Water Boards may have level 1 authorizations for a period of up to 15 years to offer legal certainty.

The favorable opinion will be submitted to the legislative plenary session this week and is expected to be approved in the last working session of this year.