Policy, Legislation, and Regulation

According to the Water Governance Facility, governance systems determine who gets what water, when, and how. The representation of various interests in water decision-making and the role of politics are important components in addressing governance dynamics. Resources available in this sub-theme include national water and sanitation plans and guidelines for improving the performance of municipal water and sanitation operators, among other resources that support water policies, legislation, and regulation.

Policy, Legislation, and Regulation Resources

Water Supply Restructuring in Malaysia: Lessons for Asia?

Publication date:
June 25, 2021
Malaysia’s utilities system was in peril in the early 2000’s due to large debts taken on by states and water concession contracts with private companies. The Malaysian government undertook a series of reforms in the mid-2000’s to secure utilities and expand water access. The PAAB, a national water...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Malaysia

Environmental Justice and Democracy Failures at the Heart of Flint’s Water Crisis

Publication date:
July 2, 2021
World Resources Institute
The water governance failures found in Flint, Michigan are representative of many the most pressing environmental concern around the globe. Numerous reports found that a lack of accountability and insufficient regulatory oversight led to the poisoning of Flint’s 100,000 residents, many of whom come...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Applying a Cumulative Risk Framework to Drinking Water Assessment: A Commentary

Publication date:
July 13, 2021
The health risks of drinking water contaminants and the economic benefits of drinking water standards are typically assessed one chemical at a time, an approach that misses the health impacts of co-occurring contaminants in drinking water. In contrast, a cumulative risk framework has become common...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

City Residents, Scientists and Policy-Makers: Power in Co-Producing Knowledge

Publication date:
July 13, 2021
The need to merge scientific with societal knowledge in addressing global sustainability challenges has deepened research on a methodology known as co-producing knowledge. This paper draws on case study projects in Africa to discern the forms of power that are navigated by actors when co-producing...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Uganda

Lower Kafue River Basin 2019 Report Card

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
Similar to school report cards, river basin report cards provide performance-driven numeric grades or letters that reflect the status of a river basin on a regular basis. They effectively integrate and synthesize large, and often complex, information into simple scores that can be communicated to...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Zambia

Belize Reef Scorecard

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, second in size globally only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS) was the first marine World Heritage site in the Caribbean region when inscribed on the World Heritage...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Belize

Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
Water scarcity has created a context of human and societal need wherein water stress has undermined the vitality of rural livelihoods, driven broad migratory movements, become a weapon of war, contributed to the growth of insurgencies and terrorist networks and given rise to increased demand for U...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Global

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