June 2007, id21 insights, Issue #67

New directions for water governance

Water governance is a significant feature of international development policymaking. There is an increasing consensus on the need for improved water governance to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

People in Nkayi district, Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, discuss access to a hand-dug well, which is mostly used for garden watering. See New directions for water governance. Frances Cleaver, 2005

Other articles in this issue:

Customary laws for managing water resources

Current water governance reforms in most southern African countries focus on the legal systems for regulating water use. However, these countries have pluralistic legal systems, which include statutory laws, the customary laws of different ethnic groups and Islamic law.

The question of scale

The question of the appropriate scale or level at which governments should operate has traditionally been important in political and economic discussions. It has also become a key issue within development policy, with policymakers thinking that this determines institutional effectiveness.

Money matters

Only 45 percent of public water points in central Tanzania are functioning. Research in the Dodoma and Singida regions shows that poor financial management often undermines the sustainable use of water.

Recovering the costs of rural water supply

Inadequate water supply and poor sanitation are serious problems for rural communities in Cross River State, southern Nigeria. Concern Universal works with these communities to strengthen their capacity to manage water and sanitation facilities.

Achieving water security

Water security means people have secure rights to use water, including future generations. For poor people, this comes from fair and adequate representation in policymaking processes. They also need improved water technology, and management processes that they can use.

Water rights for water governance

Rights and entitlements at the societal level are some of the resources for water governance. Viewing water rights from a legal perspective helps to analyse the policy debate on rights of access to water. There are three principal legal forms of a right to water – a human right, a property right and a contractual right.

Competition for water

There is considerable literature on international water negotiations, but most research ignores local conflicts over water. In fact, violent 'water riots' at local levels are more common than inter-state 'water wars'.

Rethinking the management of agricultural water

In the past thirty years, there have been many efforts to reform agricultural water management in developing countries. However, these have produced few positive results. Policymakers should rethink water sector reforms, particularly now that investment in water infrastructure is increasing.

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