Water for All: ADB's Water Policy

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ADB's Water Policy

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ADB's Water Policy
	ADB’s "Water for All" water policy advocates that water is a socially vital economic good that needs careful management and a participatory approach to help conserve and protect it.

Guiding Principles

Highlights

Water for All: The Water Policy of the Asian Development Bank
ADB’s work in Asia’s water sector is guided by this policy document signed by ADB's Board of Directors in 2001.

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Critical reviews of the Water Policy’s implementation have ensured the policy’s continuing effectiveness:

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2005 Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation

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2003 Interim Review of the ADB's Water Policy Implementation

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Revision of the policy’s provision for large water resources projects was approved in 2005 to promote the participation of stakeholders in project preparation, in keeping with the Interim Review’s recommendation.

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Read FAQs

In 2001, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) outlined its vision for integrated water management in the region in its "Water for All" water policy.

The policy recognizes the Asia and Pacific region's need to formulate and implement integrated, cross-sectoral approaches to water management and development. It also advocates that

•	water is a socially vital economic good
•	water needs careful management
•	a participatory approach will help conserve and protect water resources

View the In Brief summary on ADB's Water Policy (2008). [ PDF ]

Key Elements

The principal elements of the water policy are as follows:

•	Promote a national focus on water sector reform
•	Foster the integrated management of water resources
•	Improve and expand the delivery of water services
•	Foster the conservation of water and increase system efficiencies
•	Promote regional cooperation and increase the mutually beneficial use of shared water resources within and between countries
•	Facilitate the exchange of water sector information and experience
•	Improve governance and capacity building

Critical Reviews

ADB ensures the continuing effectiveness of the Water Policy by undertaking review processes designed to assess the extent to which the policy provisions have been integrated into ADB's water operations and have contributed to the vision of attaining water for all.

	2005 Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation Assessed the region's challenges and investment requirements and recommended strategies for ADB's support to clients.
	2003 Interim Review of the ADB's Water Policy Implementation Assessed the integration of the Water Policy into ADB operations and generated lessons for ongoing and future operations.
	Approved revision in ADB's Water Policy regarding large water resources projects The Interim Review recommended revising the policy provision for large water resources projects.

Publication: Charting Change

Five years after the Water Policy was approved, what progress has it brought Asia and the Pacific? ADB's publication, “Charting Change: The Impact of ADB’s Water for All Policy on Investments, Project Designs and Sectoral Reforms,” takes a close look at how the policy's implementation has influenced investment levels, generated more strategic project designs and made strides in improving public policy.