The Gourma Water Agency has the following missions:
- engage water stakeholders in the concerted, integrated, balanced and sustainable management of water resources in the hydrographic basin
- translate, through water development and management master plans (SDAGE) and water development and management plans (SAGE), the orientations of the national water policy;
- to promote, at the basin level, a rational use of water resources, the fight against pollution and the protection of aquatic environments;
- collect taxes from water users for the withdrawals they make and / or the pollution they cause, according to the “polluter pays” or “sampler pays” principle;
- to provide various financial aid to actions of common interest carried out by local authorities, socio-professional organizations and users;
- to provide technical assistance to studies, works, monitoring and evaluation, execution and all other actions undertaken in order to fight against waste and pollution of water, according to the principle “whoever protects better is helped”;
- to prepare, in application of the SDAGEs and the SAGEs, multiannual intervention programs in order to meet the needs of water use, preservation and restoration of water quality, conservation of aquatic ecosystems, protection of banks and the fight against siltation of watercourses and water bodies;
- to help prevent and combat floods and other natural water-related disasters;
- develop and disseminate knowledge on water resources and improve their management;
- to develop partnerships with any organization involved in its field of competence.