Water: Local-level Management: International Development Research Centre

Features

MIDDLE EAST: Water Management

A thematic collection of feature articles and researcher profiles.

in_focus: WATER
Local-level Management

in_focus: WATER <br> Local-level Management

David B. Brooks

Facts & Figures on Fresh Water

WHY LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT?

Managing water scarcity effectively and fairly is one of the great imperatives of governance today. In more prosperous countries, water scarcity curtails economic growth and diminishes quality of life. In poorer countries, it breeds sickness, blocks development, deepens inequalities, and undermines the survival of entire societies.

Managing freshwater scarcities constitutes one of the great imperatives of governance almost everywhere in the world; local management is an indispensable component.

More than 1 billion people currently lack access to safe drinking water and 3 billion people lack access to basic sewage systems. Experience around the world shows that local water management is an essential part of the solution.

Research over three decades has generated lessons that are helpful for making better management decisions, and in marking paths for future investigation.

This in_focus Website assembles a variety of resources on local water management. Including slide presentations, short stories, case studies, research reports, books, etc., the site presents an overview of the issue, results of IDRC-supported research, and the important lessons that have been learned.

After the Water Wars: The Search for Common Ground 2005-08
After 32 failed attempts to reach consensus on water legislation and a deadly social conflict over water rights, IDRC-supported researchers in Bolivia have helped their country develop a water law that everyone could agree on.

Making the Most of Minimal Water 2006-03
The IDRC-supported WaDImena project is helping countries in the parched Middle East and North Africa share lessons on how demand management can avert a looming water crisis.

Reservoirs of Hope 2006
An IDRC-funded shared learning effort helps farmers deliver fresh water — and the prospect of a brighter future — to impoverished villages in China’s Guizhou province.