Urban water conflicts: Background and conceptual framework

2011 ◽  
pp. 33-46
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Conflicts

scholarly journals Unravelling intractable water conflicts: the entanglement of science and politics in decision-making on a large hydraulic infrastructure project

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonatan Godinez-Madrigal ◽  
Nora Van Cauwenbergh ◽  
Pieter van der Zaag
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Science Policy ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Political Process ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Conflicts ◽  
Use Of Models

Abstract. Global trends suggest that cities around the world are increasingly depleting available water resources. A common strategy is to opt for supply augmentation infrastructure. However, this response can be a financial and social burden for many cities, because they entail developing expensive infrastructure and can trigger social conflicts. Science is often expected to play a key role in informing policymakers and social actors to clarify controversies surrounding policy responses to water scarcity. However, managing conflicts is a socio-political process, and the use of models may have the effect of de-politicizing such processes; conveying the idea that optimal solutions can be objectively identified despite the many perspectives and interests at play. This raises the question whether science can depoliticize water conflicts, or whether instead conflicts politicize science-policy processes? We use the Zapotillo dam and water transfer project in Mexico to analyze the roles of science-policy processes in water conflicts. The Zapotillo project aims at augmenting urban water supply to Guadalajara and León, two large cities in Western Mexico, but a social and legal conflict has stalled the project until today. To analyze the conflict and how stakeholders make sense of it, we interviewed the most relevant actors and studied negotiations between different interest groups through participant observation. To examine the role of science-policy processes in the conflict, we mobilized concepts of epistemic uncertainty and ambiguity and analyzed the design and use of water resources models produced by key actors aiming to resolve the conflict. While the use of models is a proven method to construct future scenarios and test different strategies, the parameterization of scenarios and their results depend on the knowledge and/or interests of actors who own the model. We found that in the Zapotillo case, scenarios reflected the interests and strategies of actors on one side of the conflict, resulting in increased distrust by the opposing actors. We conclude that the dilemma of achieving urban water security through investing in either large infrastructure (supply augmentation) or alternative strategies (demand-side management), cannot be resolved if some key interested parties have not been involved in the scientific processes framing the problem and solution space.

Contextualizing Rural–Urban Water Conflicts

2018 ◽  
pp. 204-221
Author(s):  
Shrinivas Badiger ◽  
Smitha Gopalakrishnan ◽  
Iswaragouda Patil
Keyword(s):  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Conflicts

scholarly journals Data-driven asset management in urban water pipe networks: a proposed conceptual framework

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Okwori ◽  
Y. Pericault ◽  
R. Ugarelli ◽  
M. Viklander ◽  
A. Hedström
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Pipe ◽  
Pipe Network ◽  
Pipe Networks ◽  
Analytical Tools

Abstract Analytical tools used in infrastructure asset management of urban water pipe networks are reliant on asset data. Traditionally, data required by analytical tools has not been collected by most water utilities because it has not been needed. The data that is collected might be characterised by low availability, integrity and consistency. A process is required to support water utilities in assessing the accuracy and completeness of their current data management approach and defining improvement pathways in relation to their objectives. This study proposes a framework to enable increased data-driven asset management in pipe networks. The theoretical basis of the framework was a literature review of data management for pipe network asset management and its link to the coherence of set objectives. A survey to identify the current state of data management practice and challenges of asset management implementation in five Swedish water utilities and three focus group workshops with the same utilities was carried out. The main findings of this research were that the quality of pipe network datasets and lack of interoperability between asset management tools was a driver for creating data silos between asset management levels, which may hinder the implementation of data-driven asset management. Furthermore, these findings formed the basis for the proposed conceptual framework. The suggested framework aims to support the selection, development and adoption of improvement pathways to enable increased data-driven asset management in municipal pipe networks. Results from a preliminary application of the proposed framework are also presented.

Urban Water Conflicts

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Barraque
Keyword(s):  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Conflicts

Managing urban water systems with significant adaptation deficits—unified framework for secondary cities: part I—conceptual framework

2017 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assela Pathirana ◽  
Mohanasundar Radhakrishnan ◽  
Nguyen Hong Quan ◽  
Chris Zevenbergen
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Unified Framework ◽  
Urban Water Systems

A conceptual framework for addressing complexity and unfolding transition dynamics when developing sustainable adaption strategies in urban water management

2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 2393-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. F. Fratini ◽  
M. Elle ◽  
M. B. Jensen ◽  
P. S. Mikkelsen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Management ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
System Optimization ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Transition

To achieve a successful and sustainable adaptation to climate change we need to transform the way we think about change. Much water management research has focused on technical innovation with a range of new solutions developed to achieve a ‘more sustainable and integrated urban water management cycle’. But Danish municipalities and utility companies are struggling to bring such solutions into practice. ‘Green infrastructure’, for example, requires the consideration of a larger range of aspects related to the urban context than the traditional urban water system optimization. There is the need for standardized methods and guidelines to organize transdisciplinary processes where different types of knowledge and perspectives are taken into account. On the basis of the macro–meso–micro pattern inspired by complexity science and transition theory, we developed a conceptual framework to organize processes addressing the complexity characterizing urban water management in the context of climate change. In this paper the framework is used to organize a research process aiming at understanding and unfolding urban dynamics for sustainable transition. The final goal is to enable local authorities and utilities to create the basis for managing and catalysing the technical and organizational innovation necessary for a sustainable transition towards climate change adaptation in urban areas.

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