Congress studies three water bills

Ten months after President Luis Abinader announced that he would send a water bill to Congress for water resource management, the promise remains unfulfilled.

Given the lack of action by the Executive Branch, Congress decided to take the initiative , and legislative committees are currently studying three bills to regulate water use and management, a task initially promised by the Government.

Of the three bills, two are in a Senate committee and were introduced by legislators Gustavo Lara and Manuel María Rodríguez. The other is in the Chamber of Deputies and was proposed by Congressman Juan Agustín Medina .

The first bill, proposed by Senator Lara , establishes the principles and objectives of the water sector , including the formulation of public policies , sector planning and financing, coordination of regulatory projects, adoption of sector standards, and the development of indicative plans to achieve efficient operations in both urban and rural areas.

Article 8 of the initiative clarifies that policymaking and sectoral planning are the exclusive responsibility of the government, although it allows for mechanisms for participation by local governments, community organizations, and civil society, without delegating powers.

The second bill, proposed by Senator Rodríguez , creates the National Drinking Water and Sanitation System with the goal of guaranteeing all the country's inhabitants access to quality drinking water and sanitation services. The system would be structured into four levels: governance, regulation, service provision, and user.

The governing level, according to the document, is headed by the Ministry of Public Health , which coordinates sector policies, authorizes licenses, and oversees the performance of providers. In addition, a System Advisory Council is created, comprised of representatives from key ministries and sector institutions, with the mission of disseminating and reaching consensus on public policies .

The project also regulates the sectoral leadership function , which includes policy formulation , planning, program supervision, coordination with institutions, financial management , technical assistance, and authorization of interventions in drinking water and sanitation .

The third project, which is in the House Water Affairs Committee , is similar to the last one being studied by the Senate .

Project progress

None of the bills have advanced in committee, despite being submitted in March and June of this year. If they are not approved during the current legislative session, which ends on January 12, 2026, they would lose their validity .

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