The FAO-ESCAP pilot project on national water visions. From vision ...

Table 6. Framework for action
Challenge
Managing our water resources
efficiently and effectively (addressing
both quantity and quality aspects)
<strong>The</strong> strategy is to:
• Practice integrated water resources
management
• Balance withdrawal/use and
conservation of water
• Manage water resources
effectively and efficiently
• Protect and allocate water
equitably
Moving towards integrated river
basin management
<strong>The</strong> strategy is to:
• Develop federal, state and crosssectoral
coordination mechanisms for
river basin management
• Develop mechanisms for effective
stakeholder participation
• Ensure equitable sharing of water
resources in each river basin
• Manage river basins through the
ecosystem approach
• Minimize water pollution, floods
and drought
Translating awareness into political
will and capacity
<strong>The</strong> strategy is to:
• Promote political awareness of the
water sector
• Mobilize mass media/NGOs over
water awareness
• Develop multi-stakes discussion
and dialogues on relevant solutions
• Monitor the implementation of
agreed solutions and amend the
policies based on the feedback
Moving towards adequate, safe and
affordable water services befitting
developed-nation status by 2020
<strong>The</strong> strategy is to:
• Provide safe water to all
• Adopt water-demand management
• Improve wastewater management
• Improve governance
• Go for capacity building
• Promote public-private partnership
Action
• Formulate a national water policy and comprehensive water legislation and
guidelines
• Establish an efficient institutional framework, such as river basin authorities
• Ensure stakeholder participation in the decision-making process
• Achieve capacity building within water-related institutions and promote
water awareness in all water-using sectors
• Develop innovative technologies with respect to wise water use, water and
wastewater treatment, water reuse and recycling and alternative water sources
• Engage in extensive research and development in the water management
sector
• Institute efficient water demand and water supply management
• Enable the National Water Resources Council to oversee interstate
cooperation on water resources development and river management,
including the development of a national water policy
• Establish a state-level cross-sectoral coordination institution
• Organize regular state and national workshops involving all stakeholders
• Develop <strong>pilot</strong> <strong>project</strong>s in selected river basins
• Promote networking and better organization of stakeholders
• Ensure easy access to information
• Carry out assessment studies/protection for each river basin
• Develop water use/allocation policies and master plans for each river basin
• Introduce incentives/disincentives towards equitable water distribution
• Assess the ecosystem status, services and sensitivity in each river basin
• Designate ecosystems for protection and restoration
• Establish monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
• Develop a flood-control master plan and drought contingency plans,
including land-use guidelines for each catchment
• Develop water-quality management taking into consideration the carrying
capacity of the rivers and sustainable development indicators
• Map out all the river basins and develop river basin classification/carrying
capacity schemes to guide future development/environment control activities
• Tackle hill/slope development and associated erosion and sedimentation
• Submit information/recommendations for the water sector to the highest
authority
• Provide the water sector with enough staff and adequate training
• Ensure water sector networking (national, regional and international)
• Strengthen water-related institutions
• Build up the water sector database and make for easy dissemination
• Encourage dialogue among stakeholders at different levels and locations
and publish the outcome of the consultations
• Have the sustainability of the water sector monitored by independent groups
• Use the recommendations by monitoring bodies to amend strategies
• Promote wise water use by all users
• Introduce the ‘polluters pay’ principle
• Set up an effective enforcement agency
• Review and update standards regularly
• Develop a master plan for supply management
• Continuously improve water technology
• Practice good governance
• Introduce water-related curricula into the education system
• Promote greater cooperation among all stakeholders
• Introduce acceptable water-pricing mechanisms
• Enhance opportunities for water training
• Set up a national water institute to look into the best practices in the water
sector
• Enhance research on high-yield and drought-resistant crops
• Institute efficient water supply systems
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National water visions in Southeast Asia