Govt proposes extension for water, sewerage system deadline to 2027
The amendment also introduces specific fines for offences not previously detailed in the Act.
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The government has proposed an amendment to the Water and Sewerage Act to extend the deadline for establishing water and sewerage systems across all inhabited islands in the Maldives until 2027.
The amendment was moved by Dhidhdhoo MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed on behalf of the government during Tuesday’s sitting of the Parliament.
The primary revision in the bill is the extension of the current deadline, which was set to expire on 5 July 2025. Under the existing law, passed in August 2020 by the previous administration, the Ministry of Environment was required to ensure the provision of water and sewerage systems in all inhabited islands within five years of the Act’s enforcement.
The proposed amendment would extend the deadline by an additional two years and five months, making it mandatory to complete all pending water and sewerage works by the end of 2027.
Another proposed change in the amendment is the removal of Article 8(f) of the Act. This provision currently obligates the Ministry of Environment to establish water analysis laboratories to ensure the safety of publicly supplied water.
The amendment also introduces specific fines for offences not previously detailed in the Act. These include:
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A maximum penalty of MVR 100,000 for any act causing groundwater contamination.
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Fines ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 100,000 for other prohibited offences not already carrying designated penalties, depending on the nature and severity of the offence.
The amendments are to come into effect from the date they are passed by Parliament.
The previous government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih pledged in 2018 to implement water and sewerage systems in all inhabited islands by 2023. While several project agreements were signed under that commitment, many remain incomplete. Some projects were halted, with the COVID-19 pandemic cited as a contributing factor to the delays.
