The Water Policy is aimed at promoting sustainable water resource development with a view to facilitate an equitable provision of adequate quantity and quality of water for all competing groups of users at acceptable costs and ensuring security of supply under varying conditions. This entails establishing a well-defined institutional structure that will achieve the intended policy objectives. Specifically, the policy recognises water as an economic good. It separates water resource management responsibilities from those related to water supply, and aims to bring ownership of water resources under state control, through revision of the Water Act Cap 312.
Under rural water supply and sanitation, the Water Policy supports measures aimed at increasing accessibility to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for the rural population. Its overall goal is to ensure universal access to safe, adequate and reliable water supply and sanitation services and to ensure that rural supply and sanitation are community based through formation of water committees for effective co-ordination, management and mobilization of resources.