Every Ni-Vanuatu citizen should have access to safe water in sufficient quantities to meet basic needs, including drinking, cooking and sanitation. The relatively abundant supply of fresh water in Vanuatu should further increase livelihoods opportunities and be fully harnessed to improve the overall economic standing of the country, both now and in the future.

As Vanuatu's population grows, demands on existing water sources will increase. These demands when combined with the increasing risk of pollution and climate-related changes could be expected to limit the future availability of potable water, constrain its productive use and impact negatively on Vanuatu's most precious resource, its pristine natural environment.

The National Water Strategy aims to address these issues by overcoming constraints that limit sustainable development of the water sector including factors related to finances, human resources, institutions and operations. In doing so, it gives effect to certain directives of the ni-Vanuatu Government such as for Physical Planning Areas (PPAs) requiring detailed strategies and plans for all the Government Departments.

Located at Georges Pompidou in Port Vila, the newly established department of Water will be under the supervision of the Director who is directly responsible to the Director General of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

The Department of Water Resources (DoWR) Comprises of Three Units: the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, the Technical Services Unit, and the Projects & Operations Unit. The Administration Section within the Department has a function to coordinate Departmental activities and manage the three sections mentioned above. 

View The Department of Water Resources Organizational Structure here.