Parliament Passes Bill Extending Water and Sanitation Deadline to 2027
Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Speaker of the Parliamnet. | Photo: People’s majlis
Parliament has passed a bill amending the Water and Sewerage Act to extend the deadline for completing water and sanitation systems in all inhabited islands of the Maldives to the end of 2027.
The legislation, which was approved during today’s sitting with 61 votes in favour and seven against, grants the government an additional three years to complete the projects. Under the 2020 Act, the systems were required to be completed within five years, with the current deadline set to expire this year.
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According to the government, the extension is intended to accommodate ongoing projects and address delays in implementation. The bill also removes clause 8(k) of the Act, which had mandated the establishment of water testing laboratories to ensure the safety of publicly supplied water. Officials argued that the change would help streamline completion by reducing administrative requirements.
Other amendments include technical adjustments to existing clauses and clarifications on the regulatory responsibilities of service providers.
