Water governance: from ideals to effective strategies

Abstract

Integrated water solutions require effective governance, as well as appropriate technologies and management instruments. While decision scenarios vary across a range of water demands and scales, common patterns of governance are involved. The paper explains these patterns in terms of how policy, empowerment and control are applied in distinct ways in different water management scenarios. Principles of effective water governance emerge from the case discussions, and illustrate how decision makers can identify the actions needed for policy, empowerment and control as well as make progress even while other institutional arrangements continue to evolve.

Keywords:

• water governance
• integration
• policy
• capacity building
• enforcement
• control