African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

Governing WaterWiselyThe institutional framework for water managementshould include the policy-making bodiesthat establish the rules or legislation on thedevelopment and use of water resources andthe legislative bodies and agencies with regulatoryand political functions and responsibilities.These bodies should strive to reconcile the variousinterests of water users at any given time andto ensure that policies and programmes on waterresources are properly implemented. In general,the framework should include:(a) Specific rules and laws governing the assessment,development and use of waterresources;(b) The bodies responsible for policies and decisionson the exploitation and use of waterresources; and(c) The communication and information linksbetween decision-making agencies, groupsdirectly affected by water management programmesand the general public, at variouslevels.The institutional structure for water managementin any country is shaped not only by politicaland administrative bodies but also by thehistorical role of water in national developmentand the perceived desires, needs and value of water.Institutional involvement in water managementtakes various forms and is often dictated bythe prevailing types and levels of water managementproblems such as irrigation management,drainage control or pollution control problems.The diversity also reflects the historical, political,economic, social, administrative, geographical,physiographical and climatic conditions of theterritory concerned.for water management. According to GonzalezVillarreal F.J (1980), such actions could include:(a) Regulation at the water system by takingmeasures aimed at increasing available supplies;(b) Regulation at the boundaries between thewater system and user system, covering thephases of planning, construction and operationof the water infrastructure necessary toensure adequate natural supply to meet thedemand of the whole user system; assessingthe impact of water consumption andgroundwater use on the water system andminimizing such impact through erosionand pollution controls;(c) Regulation at the physical boundaries betweeninter-related users, especially in waterstress regions. This could be by subjectingsuch users to a prioritization schemein the form of differential pricing and allocationfor different uses. It could also involveconflict resolution. Such a regulationis normally better effected if the physicalwater basin is taken as the basis for watermanagement; and(d) Regulation of international costs andboundaries water activities to ensure adequatequantity and quality of water supplyfor various transboundary uses through internationalagreements on water allocationand pollution control.The most recommended forms of water regulationinclude utilization concessions, waste dischargepermits and tariffs. These must be establishedprior to water use. In fixing tariffs, the aimmust not only be to recover capital and operatingcosts but also to promote efficient and beneficialuse of water. The principle of compelling a polluterto bear the cost of de-pollution should bethe economic basis for pollution control.GOVERNING WATER WISELYThe increasing demands for and on water causedby population growth and the obvious reductionin water availability in time and space due to bothnatural and man-made causes such as pollution,call for regulatory actions considered the basisInstitutional Capabilities for IntegratedWater Resources Management (IWRM)From an administrative point of view, the institutional(legislative, organizational and decision-341