NNA - Lebanon's Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water, Walid Fayad, on Thursday chaired a meeting at the ministry, as part of the reform efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Energy in the water sector. The meeting aimed to discuss the latest draft of the National Water Sector Strategy and the upcoming implementing decrees stemming from Water Law No. 462/2020.

At the outset of the meeting, Minister Fayad praised the work of the committee tasked with preparing the implementing decrees and the team that completed the National Water Sector Strategy. He also thanked the French Development Agency for financing this significant reform achievement and the technical and legal consultants for their diligent support.

"This meeting aims to crown this important work that has extended over several years with a final session to review the documents, taking into consideration the final comments of those present on the texts, in preparation for their signing," Fayad explained, reiterating the principle adopted since assuming office of cooperation among all institutions and with the ministry to move in a unified, correct direction, rather than each entity operating independently.

After discussions that lasted about six hours, Minister Fayad signed eight implementing decrees for the Water Law, including:

- Establishing a system and regulations for the implementation of the water usage licensing system.

- Developing models for the annual reports of water institutions.

- Establishing principles for exercising acquired rights to water.

- Determining the powers of the judiciary for ministry employees and water institutions.

- Establishing principles for managing non-collective wastewater.

- Determining compensation for water pollution.

- Regulating associations of irrigation water users.

Additionally, the decree containing the final version of the National Water Sector Strategy, after the necessary amendments, will be sent to the State Shura Coucil for its opinion and implementation before the files are submitted, according to constitutional procedures, to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

It is worth noting that the final version of the National Water Sector Strategy in Lebanon is based on four pillars:

- Ensuring water security through increasing surface storage, improving water quality, and monitoring it.

- Developing public service by increasing the coverage of potable water networks, sewerage systems, and irrigation.

- Achieving financial sustainability for water institutions by covering operational, maintenance, and future investment costs, increasing revenue, and addressing technical and non-technical losses.

- Undertaking necessary reforms in the water sector, particularly those stipulated in the Water Law, and digitizing the sector.

========================R.H.