Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
feedback about how community or expert input has influenced a decision.
'Fairness', another governance principle, is implemented through ensuring
that those affected have a fair and impartial hearing. 'Adaptability' is more
likely if key stakeholders are able to contribute practical advice and if open
communication results in responsiveness to issues as they arise. All of these
contribute to an agency's 'legitimacy' (yet another principle) as well as
long-term relationships between a governance body and the community.
If good governance principles are not adhered to, there is great potential
for water resource planning and management to generate conflict. It can take
more time in the long term to achieve outcomes if one has to spend time
reacting to negative public opinion. How many public servants have spent
hours crafting letters that defend the government's position while ignoring
the community's expressed concerns? This is the 'DAD' approach:
D
ecide - the decision is made by the proponent or agency
A
nnounce - it is announced to the public
D
efend - it is defended in case of negative feedback
Such an approach rarely achieves better decisions yet increases cynicism and
affects organisational credibility. A case in Bolivia provides an example (see
Box 4.1).
Box 4.1: Lack of community recognition of water supply
privatisation
In Bolivia, one month after the privatisation of water supply and
sanitation services in the city of Cochabamba in 1999, Parliament
adopted a law to provide the legal framework for sector regulation.
The law did not include provisions concerning the recognition of the
rights of Indigenous peoples and farmers. The privatisation of supply
and the new law, combined with irregularities in the tender process,
caused strong protests among the public against rate increases in urban
areas without any prior improvement of services and the new legisla-
tion's effects on rural communities. Social unrest broke out in February
and April 2000, followed by the declaration of a national state of
emergency. The contract signed with the private consortium had to be
terminated (Heiland 2009: 54).
The role of community engagement in water resource planning
Community engagement is a basic requirement of water resource plan
preparation to ensure, at minimum, that both the needs of those directly
affected and the values of the broader community are understood and
