Statement of policy

(1) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Government to see to the orderly and coordinated development and use of Belize’s water resources, to conserve and protect such resources for the benefit of present and future generations of Belizeans, and to provide the Belizean public with a safe, adequate and reliable supply of water and with dependable public sewerage 28 (2) The Minister with responsibility for Natural Resources shall, in keeping with the requirements of sub-section (1), promote a national policy for water in Belize and shall so discharge his functions with respect to the provision of water supplies and the conservation and proper use of water resources including the preservation and protection of gathering grounds so as to secure the effective execution of that policy by the bodies responsible therefor. (3) The Minister shall in keeping with the requirements of sub-section (1), discharge his functions with respect to the provision of water supplies and the augmentation, distribution and proper use of water resources, and the sewerage and treatment and disposal of sewage and other effluents discharged into a sewerage system so as to secure the effective execution of that policy by the bodies responsible therefor. (4) The Minister, with assistance from the P.U.C. shall collate and publish information from which assessments can be made of the actual and prospective demand for water, and of actual and prospective resources in Belize. authorizing