Regulatory framework
Article 117 of the Constitution of the Republic states that it is the duty of the State to protect natural resources, as well as the diversity and integrity of the environment, to guarantee sustainable development. It declares the protection, conservation, rational use, recovery, or replacement of natural resources to be of social interest.
of natural resources.
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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.
This Law assigns to the Ministry of Planning and Coordination of Economic and Social Development the responsibility for the integrated management of water resources, in accordance with the national water policy established 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 El Salvador 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 developed the National Plan for Integrated Water Resource Management, with emphasis on priority areas (PNGIRH). The PNGIRH, as a management instrument, proposes technically and socially viable measures for each of the country's hydrographic regions, which in turn respond to the main problems identified.
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Build a participatory and transparent cross-border territorial development model for the Trifinio region, with the active involvement of communities and local, national, and regional actors, that allows for economic, social, and environmental development and the preservation of the water wealth and biodiversity of its ecosystems.
It responds to the need for medium- and long-term guidelines to guide, coordinate, and integrate public and private actors involved in irrigation and drainage, helping to promote the modernization of existing irrigated areas and the expansion of the area under irrigation through investment in new areas.
It establishes that it is necessary to extend guarantees to rural property and enforce agricultural policing measures, regulate the rights and obligations of stewards and day laborers, enclosures, easements, burning, livestock, fishing, public water services, control of pests harmful to 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 to extend the benefits derived from such increase to the greatest number of inhabitants of the country. To achieve this objective, this Law regulates the conservation, use, and distribution of water resources within the national territory for irrigation and flood control purposes, as well as the construction, conservation, and administration of the relevant works and projects.
This document establishes the lines of action for comprehensive watershed management, using an intervention approach that promotes sustainable economic and social development, in harmony with the environment, and in response to the challenges of climate change.
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Since 2009, the Government of El Salvador has been promoting concrete actions for the adoption by the Salvadoran population of a culture based on transparency and accountability in the exercise of State functions. In compliance with the Law on Access to Public Information (LAIP), in force since 2011, the Executive Branch has encouraged various State institutions to make a vast amount of information available to the public for scrutiny.
The Treaty between the Republics of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for the Implementation of the Trifinio Plan is a formal agreement between these countries with the aim of implementing the Trifinio Plan, a comprehensive development project in the shared border region known as the Trifinio Region. The treaty seeks the sustainable development of the region, improving the living conditions of its inhabitants and preserving its biological wealth. A tri-national institutional structure with administrative, financial, and technical autonomy is established, headed by the Tri-National Commission. The Trifinio Plan encompasses programs, subprograms, projects, and actions coordinated at the tri-national level for the sustainable management of natural resources and the development of communities in this region. The treaty also includes provisions on financing, stipulating that the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras will contribute equitably to the financial resources necessary for the operation of the plan's institutional structure. In addition, additional technical and financial cooperation is contemplated, including grants and non-reimbursable assistance.
The Master Plan for the Trifinio Region is a comprehensive initiative focused on promoting sustainable development in the region shared by El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This plan is supported by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and is aligned with the Central American Integration System (SICA), focusing its efforts on environmental management and territorial development to improve the living conditions of border communities. The plan originated after the establishment of the Tri-National Commission of the Trifinio Plan (CTPT) in 1997. This plan includes strategic guidelines, programs, subprograms, and initiatives that form a portfolio of projects aimed at closing development gaps and improving quality of life. The plan emphasizes sustainable economic development with an environmental focus, proposing investments in agricultural technology, infrastructure, education, health, and tourism, among others. The objective of the plan is to implement a strategy that contributes to the comprehensive, sustainable, and inclusive human development of the Trifinio region over the next 30 years, responding to global and territorial challenges and opportunities. The master plan aims to promote a cross-border and sustainable socioeconomic model, consolidating trinational productive chains and social infrastructure that contribute to socioeconomic integration and improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the Trifinio region.
Strategic framework that establishes the IDB Group's cooperation priorities with El Salvador for the period 2021-2024, with the aim of mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the country's prospects for achieving more vigorous, inclusive, and sustainable growth. The strategy proposes an approach that responds to the immediate needs associated with the health crisis and its socioeconomic impact, as well as the process of reactivating growth. It focuses on three priority areas: fiscal efficiency and sustainability, reduction of social vulnerability, and productive reactivation and reconversion. It incorporates gender equality, climate change, environmental sustainability, and institutional capacity across all areas.
Institutional Framework
Provide water for human consumption nationwide in an equitable manner, as well as wastewater collection and treatment, maintaining harmony and care for the environment.
Obtain effective community participation in the construction, repair, expansion, operation, administration, and maintenance of aqueducts and in the implementation of the latrine project, in accordance with the rules, procedures, administrative provisions, and other instructions of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance and the Court of Accounts of the Republic..
We are the governing body of the State in matters of health, guaranteeing the inhabitants of the Republic of El Salvador coverage of timely and comprehensive services, with equity, quality, and warmth, in partnership with the community, including all sectors and social actors, to contribute to achieving a better quality of life.
We are the leading environmental institution, which, through policies, strategies, and scientific research, promotes the protection, conservation, and recovery of the environment.
We are the institution that formulates and implements policies that promote sustainable agricultural, livestock, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture development, as well as food security and sovereignty. We focus on adaptation to climate change through plans, programs, and projects, providing quality services to stakeholders in the sector with transparency, inclusion, and equity for the well-being of Salvadoran families.
Empowering people, coordinating the different levels of government and actors that contribute to territorial development and governance, and leading the territorialization of public policies.
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
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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.