Governance
As defined by the UNDP Water Governance Facility, water governance is determined by the political, social, economic, and administrative systems that are in place. These systems can both directly and indirectly affect the use, development, and management of water resources and the delivery of water services delivery at different levels of society. Improving governance for economic, environmental, and social sustainability is possible through the establishment of stronger public and private institutions, policies, legislation, and processes. Topics addressed in this theme include the principles of equity and efficiency, water administration, the roles of government and other stakeholders, and the frameworks to balance water use between socio-economic activities and ecosystems.
Governance Resources
Geographies of Insecure Water Access and the Housing-Water Nexus in US Cities
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November 17, 2020Secure water access is a fundamental human right. Our study reveals disparities in piped water access in urban areas in the United States. Unplumbed households in cities, on balance, are more likely to be headed by people of color, earn lower incomes, live in mobile homes, rent their residence, and...Read more
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North America, United StatesInequalities in Public Water Arsenic Concentrations in Counties and Community Water Systems across the United States
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December 9, 2020In the United States, nationwide estimates of public drinking water arsenic exposure are not readily available. Our objective was to characterize potential inequalities in CWS arsenic exposure over time and across sociodemographic subgroups.Read more
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North America, United StatesWorld Health Organization Guidelines for drinking-water quality
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June 25, 2021The fourth edition of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Guidelines for drinking-water quality (GDWQ) provides a standardized basis for national or regional drinking-water policies and actions. The Guidelines include recommendations for contextual hazard identification, chemical background...Read more
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GlobalComparison and Cost Analysis of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Requirements versus Practice in Seven Developing Countries
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June 25, 2021Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low-resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country's...Read more
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GlobalConnected Sensors, Innovative Sensor Deployment and Intelligent Data Analysis for Online Water Quality Monitoring
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June 25, 2021The sensor technology for water quality monitoring (WQM) has improved during recent years. The cost-effective sensorised tools that can autonomously measure the essential physical-chemical and biological (PCB) variables are now readily available and are being deployed on buoys, boats and ships. Yet...Read more
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GlobalMekong River: Emerging Geopolitics and Challenges to Environment
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June 25, 2021Mekong river is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Mekong originates in Tibetan Plateau and flows downstream through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is considered to be one of the most fertile rivers in the world and has resulted in these countries...Read more
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Laos, ChinaThe Financial Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on U.S. Drinking Water Utilities
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June 25, 2021This report from April 2020 outlines the financial impacts of Covid-19 on water utilities in the United States. The pandemic was predicted to cost water companies nearly $14 billion during the early stages of lockdowns due to low customer growth, decreases in non-residential water needs and...Read more
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United StatesWater Supply Restructuring in Malaysia: Lessons for Asia?
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June 25, 2021Malaysia’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
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MalaysiaEnvironmental Justice and Democracy Failures at the Heart of Flint’s Water Crisis
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July 2, 2021World 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
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United StatesIndigenous Water Justice
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July 9, 2021Indigenous Peoples are struggling for water justice across the globe. These struggles stem from centuries-long colonial legacies and hold profound significance for Indigenous Peoples’ socioeconomic development, cultural identity, political autonomy and external relations within nation-states...Read more
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