Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Despite the lack of capacity within the DGA for actual water management, it is
still expected to take on the management of the basin in the most challenging and
contentious periods of extreme drought, to effectively control disputes and finance
coping strategies. At the other end of the scale, Chile is not only highly centralised
but there is also a low rate of delegation from the Presidential and Ministerial level
on water resource related decisions, decisions that might otherwise be taken in the
operational rather than political sphere. Infrastructural projects, drought decrees,
ministerial committees on irrigation development, changes in quality rules are all
taken at minister level if not higher. Information gathered by technocrats inform
these, but a number of interviewees at regional or operational levels (in DGA,
MMA, DOH) expressed their impotence when informing highly politicised and sec-
tor specific decisions on water management issues. This suggests that the informa-
tional quality of water related decision making is hampered by the lack of functioning
cross scale networks, limiting the ability of the authorities at multiple levels to
resolve interlinked and complex problems related to increasing stress on a dwin-
dling resource.
The Swiss case represents an interesting contrast to the Chilean in terms of net-
works. While it is a highly decentralised governance system, it wrestles with similar
challenges in terms of subsidiarity of government role and the autonomy of the
communes (rather than private rights owners) that challenge building cohesive, inte-
grative and cooperative solutions for adapting to climate change. Levels of coopera-
tion and collaboration differ depending on the scale and sector. Despite the sectoral
and small scale arrangement of water resources management that tests the ability to
plan for and implement integrated solutions to more complex problems (i.e. chal-
lenges of implementing TRC, addressing scarcity issues across neighbouring com-
munes), there are many examples of partnerships and networks across the region
engaging in climate challenges. Often, these partnerships are still sector specific,
but at least extend out beyond the commune and canton, for the purposes of sharing
best practices, technologies, and learning from the experiences of other areas.
While each commune in the Valais does have autonomy over their own water
resource, the independent water suppliers have more recently set up the 'Association
valaisanne des distributeurs d'eau (AVDE)' which conducts meetings twice per year
(a technical day and a general assembly). One stakeholder highlighted how 'each
year we choose a different issue, for example protection zones. We get different
specialists from inside and outside the region to come and speak about it to inform
all of us who are practically implicated in the issue. There are about 40-50 mem-
bers, and it is a good place to exchange ideas, and get a better understanding for
different issues, come up with solutions'
.
While the association is voluntary, can-
tonal representatives also take part. The association also runs training courses spe-
cialised in drinking water provision. A similar association exists for utilities (
SSIGE:
Societe Suisse de l'industrie du gaz et d'eau
4
), which meet for seminars once per
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