Regulatory framework
Article. 117 of the Constitution of the Republic, it is the duty of the
State protects natural resources, as well as the diversity and integrity of the environment to guarantee sustainable development and declares protection, conservation, rational use, recovery or replacement of social interest
of natural resources.
Its purpose will be to provide and help provide the inhabitants of the Republic with “Aqueducts” and “Sewers”, through the planning, financing, execution, operation, maintenance, administration, and exploitation of the necessary works.
It attributes for this Law to the Ministry of Planning and Coordination of Economic and Social Development, the responsibility of the integrated management of Water Resources, of according to the established national water policy by the President of the Republic in the Council of Ministers.
The regulation and development of plans and programs aimed at the preservation, restoration, rational use and improvement of natural resources, in accordance with the law.
The purpose of this Regulation is to develop the principles contained in the Law on Integrated Management of Water Resources and its Regulations, as well as Articles 100 and 101 of the Irrigation and Drainage Law, referring to water quality, discharge control and to protection zones in order to avoid, control or reduce contamination of water resources.
The purpose of this law is to develop the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic, which refer to the protection, conservation and recovery of the environment; the sustainable use of natural resources that improve the quality of life of present and future generations; as well as, regulate public and private environmental management and environmental protection as a basic obligation of the State, municipalities and inhabitants in general; and ensure the application of international treaties or agreements concluded by The
Savior in this matter.
This law applies to all insular, estuarine and marine continental waters, regardless of their location, physical state, quality or natural condition, within the national territory, all in accordance with article 84 of the constitution.
In this context, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) has prepared the National Plan for the Integrated Management of Water Resources, with emphasis on priority areas (PNGIRH). The PNGIRH, as a management instrument, proposes technical and socially viable, for each of the hydrographic regions of the country that in turn respond to the main problems identified
Build a cross-border, participatory and transparent territorial development model of the Trifinio region, with the active involvement of communities, local national and regional actors, that allows economic, social, environmental development and the preservation of the water wealth and biodiversity of its ecosystems.
Respond to the need to have a guideline for the medium and long term, which articulates and integrates the public and private actors involved in irrigation and drainage, helping to promote the modernization of the existing irrigated areas and the expansion of the surface under irrigation by investing in new areas.
that it is necessary to extend the guarantees to rural property and make Agricultural Police measures effective, regulate the rights and obligations of stewards and day laborers,
enclosures, easements, burning, livestock, fishing, public water service, control of pests that are enemies of Agriculture and especially the clearing of forests and their formation
The purpose of this Law is to increase agricultural production and productivity through
the rational use of soil and water resources, as well as the extension of the benefits derived from such increase, to the greatest possible number of inhabitants of the country. To achieve this objective, this Law regulates the conservation, use and distribution of the hydraulic resources of the national territory, for irrigation and drainage purposes, and the construction, conservation and administration of the relevant works and works.
This document establishes the lines of action for the comprehensive management of basins, using an intervention approach that favors sustainable economic and social development, in harmony with the environment and in response to the challenges of climate change.
Institutional Framework
It is an autonomous public service institution, with its own legal personality. Despite its autonomy, it is considered a State institution.
They are civil law, non-profit entities that acquire personality and legal existence from the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Development or from the municipalities to function as operators of a specific drinking water and sanitation system.
It is the competent authority for monitoring the quality of water for human consumption in urban and rural areas, and for issuing prior authorization for construction, repair or modification works intended for the use of water for human consumption, with the aim of verifying that quality standards are met
It is the regulatory-governing entity responsible for supervising the discharge of wastewater established in the Environmental Law and the Special Wastewater Regulations and monitoring the quality of effluents from wastewater treatment plants, the protection of water resources and the water quality of the receiving bodies.
It has powers related to the use of water for irrigation purposes, for example, intensifying the use of irrigation and drainage techniques for agricultural production, based on the rational use of water for irrigation purposes and the maximum use of the soil resource.
It has powers related to the political and administrative organization of the Republic of El Salvador.
It was created as a non-permanent organization destined to work through social compensation policies in the face of structural adjustment circumstances promoted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).
The El Jute micro-basin is a tributary of the Guajiro River and this, in turn, contributes to the Lempa River. Under the leadership of the CEL is the energy development of the country and the management of hydroelectric plants, having powers over the use of the surface waters of the Lempa River for hydroenergy purposes.
There are 22 associations, associations or micro-regions of municipalities; Candelaria de la Frontera belongs to the El Trifinio Association of Municipalities. These intermediate bodies have transcended several periods of the central and local government, thereby achieving experience and sustainability of different actions implemented in the territories.
The Municipal Code of 1986 defines that “as an instrumental part of the Municipality, it is in charge of the stewardship and management of the local common good, in coordination with national policies and actions aimed at the general common good, enjoying the power, authority and sufficient autonomy. The Municipality has legal personality, with specific territorial jurisdiction and its representation will be exercised by the bodies determined in this law.
El Salvador's government has made progress in recent years by improving water services and creating systems to monitor water quality and supply. But the country remains under pressure from a polarizing debate over how water resources should be managed. Currently, more than 20 different institutions combine water management and distribution, including the National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA), not to mention more than 2,000 locally managed water networks to fill service gaps in rural areas.According to the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES), nearly a quarter of the population in rural areas does not have access to piped water in their homes or from public sources. Women and children are particularly affected by scarcity, as they tend to bear the burden of carrying water for domestic use.
El Salvador
Fact Sheet on water management in El Salvador
General Law of Water Resources
The Law of the Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers
The Law on Integrated Water Resources Management
Regulations on Water Quality, Spill Control and Protection Zones
Links of interest:
For those living in areas controlled or contested by rival gangs, fetching water from remote sources also exposes them to greater risks of theft, rape, and other attacks.In 2016, the Salvadoran government declared the first state of emergency due to drought. These severe dry spells have led to heavy losses for El Salvador's small farmers, many of whom are already experiencing food insecurity, which could drive displacement and migration.