The strategic plan was officially presented to President Jennifer Simons on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Minister David Abiamofo of Natuurlijke Hulpbronnen (NH) handed the document to the head of state after receiving it from SWM director Clifton Lienga. Representatives of the management and the Raad van Commissarissen (RvC) were also present at the meeting at the Kabinet van de President.
Drinking water supply must grow with the population
According to President Simons, it is necessary to lay a solid foundation for a sustainable drinking water supply over the next three years. The government is taking into account an increasing number of households, which will further raise demand for drinking water.
The strategic plan also includes a crisis plan that was previously presented to the government. During the meeting, it was discussed which measures can be implemented in the short term.
The president stressed that improving the drinking water supply depends not only on technical adjustments, but also on financially sustainable policy.
Cost-covering tariffs and subsidies
An important point of attention is SWM’s financial position. According to Simons, the actual cost price of drinking water production must be determined accurately. In her view, the water company must at least be able to recover its costs in order to continue functioning independently.
At the same time, the head of state acknowledges that drinking water must remain affordable for the population. The government will therefore continue to subsidise citizens, but a better financing system must be developed for this purpose.
The government also intends to invest in the expansion and modernisation of the infrastructure. A plan is already in place for the first phase to reduce water losses and replace outdated pipes. According to Simons, financing for this will be made available shortly.
It has not yet been announced how much money will be involved in these investments or when the work will actually begin.
Limited financial scope poses a challenge
President Simons acknowledges that the government currently has limited financial resources. The government therefore sees the coming period as a transitional phase in which priorities must be set.
The implementation of the planned projects also depends on the availability of financial resources and the approval of the government budget by De Nationale Assemblée (Suriname’s parliament).
The president stressed that future governments will also have to continue the strategic plan in order to achieve the long-term objectives.
Old asbestos pipes must be replaced
Minister Abiamofo pointed out that the new plan builds on the previous master plan 2011-2024. That plan was primarily aimed at investments to improve access to drinking water in urban areas.
According to the minister, the new Multi-Year Strategic Plan adopts a broader approach. In addition to expanding the production and distribution network, it also concerns strengthening SWM as an organisation.
An important component is the replacement of old asbestos cement pipes and water pipes with too small a diameter. Production capacity must also be expanded in order to meet the growing demand for drinking water.
According to Abiamofo, cooperation between the government, SWM and other involved parties is necessary to achieve the objectives.
The ultimate goal is for all Surinamese to have access to clean and safe drinking water.
SWM wants to better monitor performance
The Raad van Commissarissen wants to closely monitor the implementation of the strategic plan. According to president-commissioner Ronald Rozenblad, the document contains various performance indicators through which progress can be measured.
The RvC and the management want to develop a digital dashboard for this purpose. This should make it possible to better monitor developments, investments and changes within the water company.
Rozenblad stressed that SWM must develop from an organisation that mainly responds to problems into a company that identifies bottlenecks in time and takes preventive measures.
Implementation will be decisive
With the Multi-Year Strategic Plan 2024-2034, SWM has a long-term vision for the modernisation of the drinking water supply. The main challenge now lies in actually making financial resources available and implementing the planned investments.
For households facing low water pressure, interruptions in supply or limited access to piped water, the main issue will be how quickly the announced improvements become noticeable.
