Water Stakeholders Research Articles

End-user participation in drinking water management through Awareness, Education, and Resources: Tools for Water Partnerships

ABSTRACT The long-term success of safely managed drinking water systems requires participation from many stakeholders, especially the water users, but also community leaders, technical experts, health practitioners, teachers, NGOs, and others. However, people may need to be empowered before they can be confident or able to contribute to meaningful decision making or governance roles in Water Partnerships. Discussions with water leaders from nine organizations on four continents revealed a surprisingly similar three-step approach to empowering end-user participation in water management. The first step is creating the Awareness of local water challenges and their impact on health. The second step is Education about the options for safe water. Together, Awareness + Education lead to people understanding their challenges and being able to devise a locally appropriate solution. The third step is Resources for water action. Through Awareness, Education, and Resources, water stakeholders including households can be empowered to participate in safely managing drinking water solutions.

Enlightening discourses in environmental economic policies using Q- studies: the case of water management

Enlightening discourses and subjective perceptions is a crucial issue for policy makers to improve public acceptance and better understand social conflicts. This paper offers an overview of reasons to use Q methodology in environmental economic policy and an example on water governance. Based on 35 face-to face interviews with French water stakeholders, this study highlights consensus and disagreements on the controversial use of water. Participants sorted statements representing means to manage the resource in a better way, associated with domestic, agricultural, and industrial consumption reduction, preservation of the resource in quality and quantity, city planning and innovation, water governance and information, solidarity, and shared initiatives. This study identifies five prevailing stakeholder perspectives. They rely on the trade-off between quality and quantity, collective involvement, knowledge of water resources, technological optimisation and pricing and regulation. These perspectives are then developed to inform decision-making of various stakeholders such as policy makers and water experts.

EFFECT OF INSTITUTIONAL FORCES ON THE INTENTION TO ENGAGE IN RAINWATER HARVESTING IN TANZANIA

This study examined the effect of institutional forces on intention to engage in rainwater harvesting in Tanzania, East Africa. The study aimed to examine specifically, (i) the effect of coercive mechanism on intention to engage in rainwater harvesting, (ii) the effect of mimetic mechanism on intention to get involved in rainwater harvesting and (iii) the effect of normative mechanism on intention to engage in rainwater harvesting. A quantitative type, explanatory research design and random sampling were applied by this study. The study collected data using structured questionnaire to 390 community members. Data analysis involved the application of descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis through the employment of IBM SPSS. The results indicated a positive and significant effect of institutional forces on the community’s intention to engage in rainwater harvesting. The present study concludes that coercive, mimetic and normative mechanisms are predictors of the intention to engage in rainwater harvesting by the Tanzanian community. Hence, it is recommended that executives, investors, ministry of water and irrigation and other water stakeholders in Tanzania should strategically apply institutional forces

Mapping and Characterization of Center Pivot and Lateral Move Irrigation Systems in South Carolina Using Quantum Geographic Information System

In recent decades, the adoption of overhead irrigation systems, especially center pivots, to irrigate row crops has been steadily increasing in South Carolina. The adoption of irrigation in the state has been enhanced by the predominance of coarse-textured soils with low water-holding capacities, which increases the likelihood of obtaining a significant and profitable crop yield response to irrigation. As the number of overhead irrigation systems in the state increases, it is vital to understand their number, location, and characteristics for better planning and managing available water resources. The objective of this project was to map and characterize the overhead irrigation systems (center pivots and lateral moves) available in each county in South Carolina. The Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) was used to manually locate and measure each overhead irrigation system in the state using a 2022 Google satellite image. Basic measurements included the length, number of spans, and wetted radius. In addition, the rotation angle of center pivots and the field length of lateral move systems were measured. This study found that with a few exceptions, the overwhelming majority of the overhead irrigation systems in the state were located in the central part of the Coastal Plain region, between the Fall Line and the coast, where groundwater resources are more abundant. Also, this study found a total of 2,980 center pivots and 15 lateral move irrigation systems in South Carolina. A total of 64,694 hectares were irrigated by center pivots, while lateral moves irrigated only 80 hecatares. Out of the 46 counties in the state, those with the highest number of center pivots were Orangeburg (633 pivots), Calhoun (361), Lee (296), Clarendon (249), Sumter (248), Lexington (197), Bamberg (130), Darlington (121), Hampton (117), and Barnwell (114). All the lateral move systems were located in the counties of Barnwell (11) and Darlington (4). Water stakeholders and agencies in South Carolina could use this information for long-term water resources planning at various levels. This research is also useful nationally to inform the understanding of irrigation practices in the southeastern United States.

Experimental study on performance predictions of pumps as turbine

Pumps as turbine can be utilized in water systems to convert waste energy into electricity and reduce leakage rates, offering an effective and affordable solution. Accurately estimating the energy production of a pump as turbine (PAT) is crucial for water stakeholders in order to calculate the payback period. Unfortunately, pump manufacturers do not provide pump characteristics in turbine mode, necessitating the development of experimental correlations by researchers to predict the characteristics. In this study, recent correlations are compared to experimental results obtained from a test rig. The use of a large database improves the accuracy of the predictions of characteristic curves and best efficiency points (BEP) in variable rotational speed. Finally, a prediction guideline is made to enable accurate prediction of the performance of a pump in turbine mode.

Exploring Unit Cost Performance for Water Infrastructure Delivery

Various delivery methods are used in the water industry for delivering treatment plant projects, which include the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) method as well as alternative project delivery methods (APDM), such as construction manager at risk (CMAR) and design-build (DB). Research has shown that APDM may improve water infrastructure project delivery performance when compared to DBB. However, utilizing an APDM does not guarantee a project’s successful delivery; other project variables also influence project delivery performance. The objective of this study is to develop exploratory mathematical models to investigate the impact of project-specific delivery factors and attributes on a water project’s success. The authors assess unit cost performance, which is a measure of a water treatment plant’s capacity in million gallons per day, over a project’s total cost. This study consisted of holding an industry expert workshop to review and develop a data collection questionnaire. Information on a total of 15 water treatment plant projects delivered in the US was collected and used to develop multiple linear regression models that explored project-specific key factors and attributes that impact unit cost performance. Results of the regression models revealed four critical variables: (1) use of GMP; (2) project team experience; (3) level of design completed before constructor engagement; and (4) project complexity, to have a statistically significant impact on the unit cost performance of water projects. The findings and contributions of this study can aid water stakeholders in understanding the unit cost performance impact of key project variables on their projects and support them in their project delivery method decisions.

Stakeholders' Interaction in Water Management System: Insights from a MACTOR Analysis in the R'Dom Sub-basin, Morocco.

This paper aims to examine the stakeholders' interaction in the water management system at the R'Dom Sub-basin (Morocco). For this purpose, The MACTOR participatory approach was implemented to involve all key water stakeholders and to analyze their interactions. The action system was characterized by the analysis of related water issues and relevant actors on the ground. Thus, ten actors and twelve objectives were identified and assessed in this study. The analysis of stakeholder role allowed to identify the typology of stakeholders according to their strategic objectives and to evaluate their power, influence and dependence, as well as their convergence in a global water cycle management. The results show a significant level of convergence among stakeholders, despite the existence of certain stakeholders who may be considered autonomous, given their low involvement in integrated water management. Furthermore, there was a limited involvement of stakeholders in certain strategic objectives such as capacity building, technical means, and awareness-raising actions. The paper shows the need to generate greater collaborative efforts among water stakeholders involved in the implementation of integrated water resources management in the R'Dom sub-basin.

An Assessment of Water Supply Governance in Armed Conflict Areas of Rakhine State, Myanmar

This study aims to analyze the actors and institutions for public water supply governance in armed conflict areas of Rakhine State, Myanmar. Using Stakeholder Salience Theory and Institutional Analysis of data collected from four participatory workshops and interviews with 160 water stakeholders from the four townships in Rakhine State, the findings revealed that although the water supply system is managed and governed by the state water authorities with the involvement of many administrative, political, and sectoral technical agencies and organizations, the non-formal community organizations such as ethnic armed military and religious institutions also have a strong interest in water supply and are considered dangerous actors in the water supply governance process. Diverse water actors held different perspectives and perceptions of water supply quality and quantity because of their different power holdings and political and economic interests. The state actors seemed biased on their positive performance, demonstrating their satisfaction with the current water supply governance, while community, private sectors, and household water users instead showed their dissatisfaction with the quality and quantity of the current water supply system, but they stayed neutral about the water supply governance performance. The research showed the complexity and dynamics of water actors’ powers and interests in armed conflict areas. In addition, there is a lack of socio-technical and financial capacity for the investment and maintenance of water distribution and collection infrastructure and facility, as well as water quality and quantity monitoring and evaluation. The study appeals to the development and peacebuilding organizations working in conflict areas to promote adaptive governance for community learning and adaptation to social-political and environmental change over time.

Geospatial Technique Integrated with MCDM Models for Selecting Potential Sites for Harvesting Rainwater in the Semi-arid Region

Severe droughts and mismanagement of water resources during the last decades have propelled authorities in the Kurdistan Region to be concerned about better management of precipitation which is considered the primary source of recharging surface and groundwater in the area of interest. The drought cycles in the last decades have stimulated water stakeholders to drill more wells and store uncontrolled runoff in suitable structures during rainy times to fulfill the increased water demands. The optimum sites for rainwater harvesting sites in the Qaradaqh basin, which is considered a water-scarce area, were determined using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), sum average weighted method (SAWM), and fuzzy-based index (FBI) techniques. The essential thematic layers within the natural and artificial factors were rated, weighted, and integrated via GIS and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches. As a consequence of the model results, three farm ponds and four small dams were proposed as future prospective sites for implementing rainwater harvesting structures. The current work shows that the unsuitable ratio over the study area in all methods AHP, SAWM, and FBI occupied 12.6%, 12.7%, and 14.2% respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) and receiver operating characteristics were used to validate the model outcomes. The AUC values range from 0.5 to 1, meaning that all MCDM results are good or are correctly selected. Based on the prediction rate curve for the suitability index map, the prediction accuracy was 72%, 57%, and 59% for AHP, SAWM, and fuzzy overlay, respectively. The final map shows that the potential sites for rainwater harvesting or suitable sites are clustered mainly in the northern and around the basin’s boundary, while unsuitable areas cover northeastern and some scatter zones in the middle due to restrictions of geology, distance to stream with the villages, and slope criteria. The total harvested runoff was 377,260 m3 from all the suggested structures. The proposed sites may provide a scientific and reasonable basis for utilizing this natural resource and minimize the impacts of future drought cycles.

Entegre Kentsel Su Yönetimi, Kentsel Su Güvenliği ve Değerlendirme Yöntemi Üzerine Bir Çalışma

Today, many cities are faced with significant difficulties in terms of water supply and management. Integrated Urban Water Management requires addressing together urban development and watershed management in order to achieve sustainable economic, social and environmental objectives. All of the water supply, sanitation, rainwater and wastewater management issues should be considered as a whole with land use planning and economic development. The purpose of an Integrated Urban Water Management approach is to integrate with other urban sectors such as land, housing, energy and transport with planning water sector in order to avoid fragmentation or recurrence in the process of policy making and decision making. In many countries, it is very difficult to ensure urban water security. While few studies have assessed water security at the regional level, many have highlighted the lack of assessment of water security and implementation of measures in order to be successful at the urban level. Studies focused on measuring urban water security are not holistic, and there is still no consensus on how to define and use an assessment framework to measure the current state and dynamics of water security. Currently, there is no clearly defined and widely approved definition of urban water security. this study, aiming to cope with this challenge, will provide an assessment framework applicable to urban settlement and urban areas, and a systematic work description to better understand urban water security. The proposed work description of urban water security is based on the United Nations' sustainable development goal regarding water and sanitation, and human rights. The assessment framework used to ensure urban water security is based on drinking water and people, ecosystem, climate change and water-related hazards and socio-economic factors. Implementing this framework will help governments, politicians and water stakeholders target at scarce resources more effectively and sustainably.

Understanding knowledge needs for Scotland to become a resilient Hydro Nation: Water stakeholder perspectives

Freshwater resources provide ecosystem services that support human prosperity and development. Future changes in climate, land-use, and population could lead to detrimental impacts on freshwater quality and quantity, threatening drinking water, irrigation and energy production. To increase resilience there is the need to better understand the possible impacts of future changes on freshwaters. We use Scotland – and its legislative agenda ‘Scotland: The Hydro Nation’ – to understand the knowledge needs of water stakeholders as a first step in building freshwater resilience. By interviewing water stakeholders across Scotland, we found an overarching ‘knowledge need’ for a greater understanding of the cumulative impacts on freshwaters associated with the interactions between multiple climatic and socio-economic drivers and their associated pressures. Stakeholders also identified five specific ‘knowledge need’ themes; large-scale land-use change, future water demands, water value, integrated development planning and water asset conditions. We identify a willingness of stakeholders to participate in systems-thinking approaches to address these ‘knowledge need’ themes. The ‘knowledge needs’ can be used to inform research priorities to support water-related policy in Scotland. We propose that participatory methods should be applied following the Driver Pressure State Impact Response (DPSIR) framework to address ‘knowledge need themes’ to identify and appraise adaptive management and policy options. Our methods used to identify stakeholder knowledge needs are a time, cost and environmentally effective way for collecting rich data. Methods can be replicated in other regions and water policy contexts to understand where increased knowledge is required to help build future resilience.

A case-based reasoning system to recommend solutions for source water protection: knowledge acquisition and modelling

ABSTRACT “How can drinking water sources be protected, and how can one learn from others who have faced similar problems?” These questions are becoming increasingly relevant in a context where anthropogenic activities threaten natural resources. We describe in this paper a knowledge acquisition and modelling process to support complex decision-making related to source water protection. We conducted online surveys, interviews and applied thematic analysis to gather and structure knowledge from documented and undocumented sources. Our process resulted in structured descriptions of cases that consist of past problems and their implemented solutions. Case design was based on know-how and knowledge needs expressed by water stakeholders. The case base forms the backbone of a knowledge-based recommender system prototype that implements case-based reasoning. It is meant to guide decision-makers in developing solutions based on past experiences. It is a successful application of knowledge management and sharing of lessons learned for decision-making in practice.

Digitisation of Existing Water Facilities: A Framework for Realising the Value of Scan-to-BIM

Building information modelling (BIM) has been implemented in many utility-based organisations worldwide, and it has proved to provide substantial cost- and time-saving benefits and improved performance and asset management especially during the operations and maintenance (O&M) phase. BIM adoption and implementation success rely on the accurate asset information stored in BIM models, mainly for existing assets. However, the asset information stored in asset management systems is often inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, duplicated or missing. Capturing the accurate as-is conditions of existing buildings has become feasible with the recent advancement of point cloud from 3D laser-scanning, resulting in a shift from ‘as-designed’ BIM to ‘as-constructed’ BIM. The potential benefits of using as-constructed BIM models for facility operations are compelling. This paper identifies the cost and benefit elements of the scan-to-BIM process as part of a case study research project at a water treatment plant (WTP) in South East Queensland, Australia. The paper develops association mapping between the cost and benefit elements for relevant stakeholders and identifies the critical asset information for effectively managing the WTP case selected. Furthermore, the paper investigates the impact of various levels of detail (LOD) and levels of information (LOI) on BIM applications depending on the project and asset requirements. Finally, this paper presents a framework that water asset owners and stakeholders can utilise to obtain value from investing in scan-to-BIM for existing facilities.

Application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in a multi-criteria selection of agricultural irrigation systems

The integrated Structure-Actor-Water framework (iSAW) was used to develop a set of indicators to select an irrigation system according to its sustainability impact on agriculture. The analysis hierarchical process (AHP) was used to explore the views of 60 agricultural water stakeholders, such as specialists, extension experts, agricultural NGO staff, and farmers across Ardabil Province in Iran. Participants were selected using the snowball method and interviewed using a 42-item questionnaire to measure the relative importance of nine indicators for choosing the best irrigation system. The results reveal that (i) all groups of stakeholders preferred pressurized irrigation systems (PISs) (69%) with respect to agricultural sustainability; (ii) indicators of employment and income had a relative weight of.26, productivity.20, improved quality of life.16, and agricultural expansion.14, when it comes to making decisions regarding irrigation systems; and (iii) with the exception of specialists, the other participants - farmers, NGO staff, and extension experts - made similar decisions when choosing the best irrigation systems. The results show the usefulness of iSAW as a decision-making framework and the proposed methodological approach to decision-making concerning water issues in highlighting the socio-economic aspects that must be closely coordinated in order to meet sustainability objectives for the irrigated agriculture sector.

Red, White, and Blue: Environmental Distress among Water Stakeholders in a U.S. Farming Community

Abstract This paper explores environmental distress (e.g., feeling blue) in a politically conservative (“red”) and predominantly white farming community in the southwestern United States. In such communities across the United States, expressed concern over environmental change—including climate change—tends to be lower. This is understood to have a palliative effect that reduces feelings of ecoanxiety. Using an emotional geographies framework, our study identifies the forms of everyday emotional expressions related to water and environmental change in the context of a vulnerable rural agricultural community in central Arizona. Drawing on long-term participant-observation and stakeholder research, we use data from individual (n = 48) and group (n = 8) interviews with water stakeholders to explore reports of sadness and fear over environmental change using an emotion-focused text analysis. We find that this distress is related to social and material changes related to environmental change rather than to environmental change itself. We discuss implications for research on emotional geographies for understanding reactions to environmental change and uncertainty.

The adoption of global water norms in Central America: What separates normative coherence from normative hegemony?

SummaryMotivationWater management is currently sustained by international norms negotiated in global meetings which are replicated worldwide. Integrated Water Resources management (IWRM) and the Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRWS) are two of the main global norms presented as important ideals for good water governance, and as such are seen as contributing to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article engages with this logic.PurposeThe article analyses two global water norms in Central America: the IWRM and HRWS, from their regional and national definitions and implementation in order to respond to the following research question: does the adoption of IWRM and the HRWS in Central American water management represent normative coherence for development or normative hegemony manifested by vertically imposed global water governance norms?Methods and approachThe research examines the definition and implementation of IWRM and the HRWS in the Central American Integration System (SICA) and six member states. It examines regional legal frameworks and national water laws and policies. Data collection included reviews of policy documents, academic studies, and grey literature from regional organizations and fieldwork conducted from 2012 to 2019.FindingsIWRM and HRWS are global water norms that have been institutionalized in Central America through development co‐operation partnerships, especially with European donors. This research shows that SICA member states have not implemented these norms due to the opposition of diverse coalitions of water stakeholders, including agribusiness, economic elites, and indigenous communities. The findings indicate that stakeholder participation and normative legitimacy are the defining characteristics that separate normative coherence for sustainable development from normative hegemony.Policy implicationsDespite Central America's legal alignment with the SDGs, significant grassroots opposition to the implementation of global water norms across the region suggests that normative coherence for sustainable development depends on normative alignment and incorporation by states in national legal frameworks but is also conditioned by stakeholder participation. These findings indicate that normative coherence for sustainable development should become more participative in nature in order to promote transformative development as defined by the SDGs. Otherwise, stakeholders may perceive it as normative hegemony.

Analysis of Perception Types of Governance of Agricultural Water Stakeholders in South Korea Using Q-Methodology

Analysis of Perception Types of Governance of Agricultural Water Stakeholders in South Korea Using Q-Methodology

Stakeholders’ interactions in managing water resources conflicts: a case of Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Abstract Recent years have seen unprecedented pressure from numerous water stakeholders with different interests in Lake Naivasha basin, the only freshwater lake in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. The pressure on this water resource results in high competition over access to water source, unsustainable resources management practices, poor water quality, and emergence of conflicts between institutions and its users. Presently, there is a knowledge gap and paucity of information on water resources stakeholders’ interactions in Lake Naivasha basin. This study, therefore, analyses the ways resource stakeholders interact and play in the conflict dynamic, and ultimately propose a better water resource use and management approaches. Drawing on field assessments, individual interviews, focus group discussion, and secondary literature reviews, this paper illustrates how both local, national and multi-national stakeholders interact and contribute to water resources conflicts. Results suggest unclear county and national institutional structures, fragmented land use activities and ownership, a feeling of marginalization by the local population contributing to resource-based conflict within the lake basin. A comprehensive policy framework and enforcement of existing regulations will ensure there is sustainable water access, reduce conflicts and enhance sustainable water resource governance and use of the lake.

Water metering in piped community-based water supply systems: the challenge of balancing social and economic benefits

ABSTRACT This study examines the challenge of balancing the social and economic benefits of community-based water supply due to the introduction of water meters. One hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were disproportionately administered to users and 20 in-depth interview discussions were conducted with water stakeholders. Resistance to and destruction of water meters coupled with irregular monthly contributions towards operation and maintenance of the water system was identified. The introduction of water meters is seen by some as a money-making venture contrary to community-driven development norms. Balancing the social and economic benefit of water supply will improve community wellbeing, build resilience and sustainability.

Water in Spain: paradigm changes in water policy

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the gradual eclipse of a water management paradigm governed by the dominance of hydropower and irrigation-driven development. With the advent of new values, the former approach has given way to an acknowledgement of the value of water for its intangible contribution to the landscape, among other things. The European Water Framework Directive has lent further impetus to changes in water management and governance. Future water authorities and stakeholders will face additional management challenges such as growing water scarcity, climate change and the predominant role of regional governments in water use negotiation and decision-making.