Governance in the Face of Uncertainty and Change - Climate Change and Water Governance: Adaptive Capacity in Chile and Switzerland - page 177

Table 10.2 (continued)

Local (Commune) Municipal Provisions for use prioritisation

Ad hoc municipal level directives for reducing water use in
periods of drought.
Municipal provisions prioritise historic flow rights to agricultural
users as per the Law on the Use of Hydropower, Art. 42 (see
above).
Local agreements for use transference and priority setting
(informal Bewilligung). Commune regulations (reglemente)
determine when the utilities are able to decide to supply
farmers with domestic water. While the priority is the
population, when there is 'superfluous' water, farmers are
able to be supplied during these dry periods.

The communes are responsible for prioritising
the use of drinking water. In Visp and Les
Bagnes directives were issued to stop
non-essential domestic uses during 2003
heat wave. Fully sometimes impose
restrictions (e.g. 1 day per week) during
periods of water stress, when precipitation
has been low, and run off is reduced.
In extremely dry summers, water suppliers
have supplied drinking water to the
farmers through the fire hydrants as a
temporary measure. The utilities may
grant, when there is enough supply for the
population, an informal authorisation or
licence (Bewilligung) that allows farmers
to use domestic supply for irrigation
between 18.00 and 08.00 (e.g. in Zermatt,
this has happened about every 4-5 years).
In the high ski resorts, the ski piste operators
have agreements with different hydro-
power operators to supply water for the
snow cannons. In Zermatt, the commune
water supplier has supplied water (spring
water) for snow making from the end of
October to December, but this amount
only stands at about 5% currently. In
Verbier, the commune utility (Les
Bagnes - SIB) supplies water for
snow-making from the Lac de Louvie only
during the period of October/November.