scholarly journals Water Poverty Indices of three rural communities in the southern Caribbean

Author(s):  
Akilah Stewart ◽  
Catherine Seepersad ◽  
Aliya Hosein ◽  
Vrijesh Tripathi ◽  
Azad Mohammed ◽  
...  

Abstract The Caribbean region experiences significant water supply challenges, especially for 30% of the population who live in rural areas. Improved water resource management in this region would enhance water availability for its population, but this requires reliable quantitative data to guide relevant policy decisions. The Water Poverty Index (WPI) and its components can be valuable sources of such data but there has not been any recent calculation of this index for countries or communities in the Caribbean. In this study, the WPI was determined for three rural communities in the southern Caribbean: Carriacou, Grenada; Nariva, Trinidad and Tobago; and Speightstown, Barbados. Using data collected from 606 surveys of households as well as published statistics, the overall WPI scores were calculated to be 65/100 for Carriacou, 65/100 for Nariva and 70/100 for Speightstown, which all fell in the ‘medium-low’ and ‘low’ water poverty scale respectively. Resource and Use components had the lowest scores and thus require urgent attention. There were no statistically significant differences across the major components, which demonstrates the common water related challenges in these Small Island Developing States, despite geographical diversity. This research will aid in defining national water resource management policies in rural communities of the Caribbean.

Water Policy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwame Emmanuel ◽  
Anthony Clayton

Physical scarcity of freshwater is often given as the reason for water shortages, but it is usually its management that can either create or resolve the problem. This will be illustrated by the case of Barbados. The water management issues are typical of many small island states, some of which are particularly vulnerable to water scarcity, especially in the context of climate change. Barbados experiences extended interruptions in the water supply, mainly in northern and eastern parishes. Supplies of freshwater are relatively sparse, but it will be argued that it is the policy regime that ensures that water is inefficiently supplied, allocated and used, and so is the primary cause of supply interruptions. The objectives of this paper are to establish a theoretical framework for sustainable water resource management and frame a strategy for Barbados which reconciles demand and supply of water while taking into account environmental, economic and social interests. The mixed methodology involved semi-structured interviews of policy makers and practitioners from the water, tourism, agriculture and planning sectors, as well as a household survey.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Augustine Edobor Arimoro ◽  
Habibah Musa

Access to water is crucial for healthy living and survival. In developing countries such as Nigeria, rural communities often suffer from a severe shortage of the supply of fresh, potable water. The need to change the tide has led to the inclusion of the adequate availability of water for allas one of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Evidence shows that the lack or poor supply of freshwater could lead to a prevalence of waterborne diseases and might negatively affect economically important activities. While water sustainability deals with ensuring adequate supply of water for the present and future generations, water resource management is the strategy for achieving water sustainability. Considering the above, this article examines the literature on water resource management vis-à-vis the legal framework for water management in Nigeria. The article notes that rural communities in the country have a critical role to play in water resource management in the country and in the quest to attain the goals for water. It is recommended that policies should be implemented to provide for sustainable management of water as well as a strategy for educating rural communities on what they must do to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for water management in Nigeria at the rural community level. For example, there is a need to provide for private sector led water development projects in rural areas backed by government subsidy as well as programmes to enlighten community leaders on their role in ensuring water sustainability. Keywords: Water, access to water, legal framework for water management, rural area, SDGs, Nigeria.


Waterlines ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-25
Author(s):  
Barry Lloyd ◽  
Teresa Thorpe

1987 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 97-106
Author(s):  
J. J. Vasconcelos

Hater resource managers in semi-arid regions are faced with some unique problems. The wide variations in precipitation and stream flows in semi-arid regions increase man's dependence on the ground water resource for an ample and reliable supply of water. Proper management of the ground water resource is absolutely essential to the economic well being of semi-arid regions. Historians have discovered the remains of vanished advanced civilizations based on irrigated agriculture which were ignorant of the importance of proper ground water resource management. In the United States a great deal of effort is presently being expended in the study and control of toxic discharges to the ground water resource. What many public policy makers fail to understand is that the potential loss to society resulting from the mineralization of the ground water resource is potentially much greater than the loss caused by toxic wastes discharges, particularly in developing countries. Appropriations for ground water resource management studies in developed countries such as the United States are presently much less than those for toxic wastes management and should be increased. It is the reponsibility of the water resource professional to emphasize to public policy makers the importance of ground water resource management. Applications of ground water resource management models in the semi-arid Central Valley of California are presented. The results demonstrate the need for proper ground water resource management practices in semi-arid regions and the use of ground water management models as a valuable tool for the water resource manager.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document