The “Water Sector Regulatory Council” was established in accordance with Water Law No. 14 of 2014. It is an independent institution both financially and administratively, with the aim of monitoring all aspects of operational activities for water service providers, including production, transmission, distribution, consumption, and sanitation management. Its purpose is to ensure the quality and efficiency of water and sanitation services in Palestine, in addition to reviewing water prices for service providers to help restore financial sustainability.
The Council assumes the following tasks and powers:
- Approving water tariffs and charges for extensions, and other services related to the provision of water and sanitation services, reviewing and monitoring them to ensure compliance with the policy adopted by the Authority.
- Issuing licenses for regional water utilities, and any operator establishing or managing the operation of a water supply utility, desalinating, treating water, or for collecting and treating wastewater, and imposing licensing fees, in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and regulations issued by the Council of Ministers.
- Monitoring and inspecting compliance with the conditions, requirements, and indicators specified in the licenses and permits
- Establishing performance incentive programs for service providers according to a system issued by the Council of Ministers for this purpose.
- Approving the internal regulations, administrative and financial system, and organizational structure of the Council and submitting them to the Council of Ministers for formal issuance according to the established procedures.
- Approving the Council’s annual budget and submitting it to the Council of Ministers.
- Monitoring operational processes related to water production, transmission, and distribution, as well as wastewater management operations.
- Monitoring agreements related to water supply.
- Ensuring that the costs of production, transmission, distribution, and wastewater treatment safeguard the interests of all stakeholders.
- Setting standards to ensure the quality of technical and administrative services provided by service providers to consumers, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and publishing them for public awareness.
- Monitoring the compliance of the National Water Company and service providers with the established standards for delivering water and wastewater services.
- Establishing a database of technical, financial, and statistical information and publishing it periodically.
- Handling complaints between service providers and consumers.
- Conducting at least one annual review of the Council’s overall performance and departments, as well as at least one annual review of staff performance development plans.
- Contracting experts, consultants, and technicians with relevant experience and specialization to carry out assigned tasks.
- Establishing the foundations for regulating the amount and proportions of local authorities’ contributions in general assemblies of water utilities, and ensuring their implementation in accordance with the provisions of the applicable law and regulations.
