Client: European Union/Lesotho Commissioner of Water
Duration: Sept 2016 to February 2018
Value: €143 494
Country: Lesotho

This project addressed a range of high-level policy and strategy matters impacting on the water sector in Lesotho. The core focus areas were as follows:

• Review and update of the Water Act
• Review and update of the National Water and Sanitation Policy
• Operationalization of the Long Term Water and Sanitation Strategy
• Harmonization of legislation
• Development of regulations to support the Water Act
• National sanitation master planning

Adrian Wilson was located in the offices of the Commissioner of Water (CoW). In terms of the Lesotho Water Act, the office of CoW is tasked with the responsibility for sector strategy, policy, legislation, M and E and SWAP. The approach adopted included wide consultation within the sector, both via a range of stakeholder workshops, various engagement meetings and in some cases formal interviews utilizing a questionnaire. The work also included a strong emphasis on international benchmarking for all outputs and in some cases the development of reports summarising the results of reviews of international practice/documentation. There was a strong emphasis throughout the work undertaken on critical cross cutters such as climate change, gender, HIV AIDS and environmental aspects. Draft reports were widely circulated to facilitate stakeholder inputs. Key outputs including the following:

• A review of selected international water legislation
• The development of a White Paper addressing a holistic review of water legislation in Lesotho
• A review of selected international water policy papers and practice
• Review and update of the Lesotho Water and Sanitation Policy (LWSP)
• An extensive series of stakeholder workshops was held to support the review of the Water Act and LWSP. These were held at both district and national level.
• Development of proposals to operationalize the Long Term Water and Sanitation Strategy (LTWSS)
• Production of a Three Year Implementation Plan (TYIP) to facilitate implementation of the LTWSS
• Development of proposals to foster cooperative governance and harmonize water legislation
• Development of draft regulations to support implementation of the Water Act
• Development of an approach to national sanitation master planning