WATER MARKETS AND DECENTRALIZED WATER-RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Citation
Kw. Easter et R. Hearne, WATER MARKETS AND DECENTRALIZED WATER-RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES, Water resources bulletin, 31(1), 1995, pp. 9-20
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Geosciences, Interdisciplinary","Water Resources","Engineering, Civil
Journal title
ISSN journal
00431370
Volume
31
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
9 - 20
Database
ISI
SICI code
0043-1370(1995)31:1<9:WMADWM>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
Because of its importance and the perceived inability of private secto r sources to meet water demands, many countries have depended on the p ublic sector to provide water services for their populations. Yet this has resulted in many inefficient public water projects and in inadequ ate supplies of good quality and reliable water. Decentralization of w ater management, including the use of water markets, cannot solve all of these water problems, but it can improve the efficiency of water al location. When given adequate responsibility and authority water user associations have effectively taken over water management activities a t a savings to tax payers. Moreover, water markets add the potential b enefit of improving water efficiency within a sector as well as provid ing a mechanism for reallocating water among sectors. The key question involves developing innovative mechanisms for reducing the transactio n costs of organizing water users and of making water trades. Water ri ghts need to be established which are recorded, tradable, enforceable, and separate from land if markets are to operate effectively. Also, i nstitutions are needed that effectively resolve conflicts over water r ights, including third party impacts and water quality concerns.