President ratifies bill extending deadline for water, sewerage to 2027
These amendments take effect immediately upon ratification.
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President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Monday ratified a bill extending the deadline for establishing water and sewerage systems in all inhabited islands of the Maldives to 2027.
Under the previous law, passed in August 2020 during the previous MDP administration, the Ministry of Environment was required to establish adequate water and sewerage systems in all inhabited islands within five years. That deadline expired last week.
The new amendment extends the completion target by two years and five months, setting the new deadline in 2027. It also removes a provision in Article 8(f) that required the Ministry to establish water analysis laboratories to ensure the safety of public water supplies.
The bill also introduces new penalty provisions:
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A fine of up to MVR 100,000 for acts causing groundwater contamination.
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For prohibited acts without a specified penalty, a fine between MVR 5,000 and MVR 100,000, depending on the severity of the offence.
These amendments take effect immediately upon ratification.
Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had pledged in 2018 to provide water and sewerage systems to all inhabited islands by 2023. While several agreements for projects were signed, some initiatives stalled and the target was not met. The previous government cited the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the causes for delays.
