26 August 2011

Examples of good water management institutions?

TS writes:
In the End of Abundance and Aguanomics, you continuously make reference to the importance of good institutions in water management/policy making. I agree 100% and have written about this before. However, I could use a few articles (that guide some of your arguments) that directly speak to institutions for in my on-going paper on climate change adaptation and water. Do you have any articles/links that can point me to the importance of institutions in water?
Good question.

I sent back these quick examples (over 500 posts on this blog cover "institutions"):
I'd love to have more examples; please describe successful water management institutions in the comments or -- if it's a good example -- email me your entry for the contest.

Bottom Line: Institutions can have formal property rights and prices -- or not -- all that matters is that they do a decent job at efficiently and fairly managing scarce water.

1 comment:

  1. When imported water began to become too scarce and expensive, the city of San Diego was convinced by a group of environmentalists and urban planners to begin exploring the idea of repurifying and reusing wastewater as a new potable water supply. That concept has evolved into indirect potable reuse and the city is now conducting a proof of concept pilot project that will eventually result in major salvaging and reuse of our wastewater supply. That may eventually turn into a semi-closed loop system where we drink, then repurify and recycle much of our ongoing water supplies. Hopefully this will result in far less demand for imported water in our region. It took more than ten years to get the media and some members of the public over a "toilet to tap" fear mentality, but recent polls show that the concept is now accepted by a majority of survey participants.


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