Atlantic Ocean Guyana French Guyana Brazil Surname Water Resources

The freshwater resources can be divided into: Natural freshwater resources, including rivers, creeks, swamps and marsh covering 12,000 square km, discharging 4,975 cubic meters per second into the Atlantic Ocean Manmade Brokopondo Lake, a hydropower facility, covering 1,560 square km.

The main source of public water supply: Coastal Zone; Groundwater Hinterland; Groundwater and a minor portion use surface water (the extend of groundwater in the hinterland is not known)

Mineral Water in Suriname is extracted from the following aquifers: The A-Sands Aquifer (for Capital City) and Zanderij aquifer Coesewijne Aquifer

Water is supply by: Suriname Water Company (SWM); this company is since 1933 responsible for the water distribution is coastal areas (state own) Department of Water Supply Services of the Ministry of Natural Resources The ministry of Regional Development

Current information available on water: Water consumption Production Number of connection Imports/ exports of bottle-water

Water legislation Suriname has no general law on water. The only important legislation is the Nature Protection law of 1954

System of Environmental-Economic Accounting: Suriname has no experience with the SEEA There are no plans right now for an Environmental-Economic Accounting

Programs and Projects on water Interwat; the Institutional Development project aims at strengthening the organization and structure of the Suriname Water Company in order to render it more self- sufficient. The Strategic Plan, which aims at improving 15 systems in the rural area and 27 "Water Supply systems" in the hinterland during the period of 1994 to The Mid Term Plan for the coastal area is a plan of action aiming at integrating the activities included in the Strategic Plan, the Five Year Plan and the Institutional Development project. The is to transfer the rural systems to SWM (up to 2010).

Policies and Strategies Full autonomy of the Suriname Water Company; community-based water supply management approach; and legal statement of recognition for the village water committees. Sanitation must be given national priority; a Drainage Authority for capital city is recommended; ultimately Suriname should organize under at a National Water Authority. Inter-institutional collaboration and inter-sector coordination/cooperation; private participation in the sector and development of Human Resources for the sector. Water saving and protection; norms for planning, design and construction of water supply systems; water protection against bacterial contamination; and water quality monitoring. Technical and institutional measures should be taken on behalf of sanitation; the Master Plan for Greater Paramaribo should be executed and the waste from the airport must be treated

Special focus is on the following Replacement and rehabilitation of production- and distribution facilities A large degree of community participation Continuous health and environmental education programs should be undertaken The Ministry of Health and Environment Authority should provide leadership in ensuring that appropriate water quality is achieved

,145,27115,899,58616,452,753 Water consumption SWM Service Area (in cubic meters), ,664,98331,594,07133,267,600 Water Production Operated by SWM (in cubic meters)

Number of connection Kind of connection Yard Connection3,0572,8682,8512,8232,7373,074 House Connection48,90449,31850,01650,45451,56753,679 House with Swimming pool Industrial & Commercial Connection 4,6114,7484,9954,9975,5935,816 Institution1,0181,0171,0301,0431,0531,069 Total57,63858,00158,94959,37661,01863,707

SWOT Analysis of the Water sector in Suriname This SWOT Analysis is to divided into: Economic part Social/ Cultural Environmental Institutional organization

Economic Strengths Excellent quality water (low chloride contents) Large per capita resource in aquifers Close technical cooperation with similar industries in the Netherlands Weaknesses Insufficient funds for expansion of drinking water network No split of sewerage and drinking water supply and use Slow salination beaches consumption is higher than rate of replenishment by aquifer Inadequate legislation (Drilling Act. Of 1952 still applies) Mining Rights areas not yet renewed despite timely application

Economic Opportunities Export of bottle water Establishment of Water Authority Establishment of groundwater protection zones Replacement of old stations, establishment of larger pumping stations Threats Depletion of resources for Greater Paramaribo (A Sands) Depletion of shells for filtration

Social/ Cultural Strengths 90% of population linked to drinking water company; 10% in very sparsely populated areas Low population density and growth Relatively high literacy and environmental awareness Weaknesses Potable water not available everywhere Wastage due to inefficient use, and no reporting of leakage

Social/ Cultural Opportunities Raise awareness to reduce waste and inefficient use of mineral water Threats None

Environmental Strengths No contamination by industrial or agricultural activities Low possibility of well Contamination (artesian well and aquifer contamination Weaknesses Too many potentially contamination activities in Savanna Zone; e.g. sand excavation, waste dumping

Environmental Opportunities Legislation to prevent contamination of Savanna Zone Threats Contamination of catchments area of Zanderij aquifer (Savanna Zone)

Institutional organization Strengths None Weaknesses Outdated and inadequate legal instruments/ framework The GMD (Geological Mining Department) needs institutional strengthening

Institutional organization Opportunities Establishment of the Water Authority, if necessary, imbedded in the Minerals Institute Threats Budget constraints to fund vital public institutions Continued weakness of institutional and legal framework