Concept of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
The concept and development of integrated water resources management (IWRM) emerged because of increasingly problems of acute freshwater facing the world. IWRM approach is now accepted internationally for efficient, equitable and management of limited water resources as well as coping with conflicting demands (UN water, 2008). Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has been designed to provide solutions and is one of the leading concepts for a holistic management of water resources.
IWRM Definition
The classic Global Water Partnership (GWP) definition of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM):
The Global Water Partnership (GWP, 2000) defines IWRM as “a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems”.
IWRM is based on the three principles:
Social equity means ensuring equal access for all users (particularly marginalised and poorer user groups) to an adequate quantity and quality of water necessary to sustain human well being. The right of all users to the benefits gained from the use of water also needs to be considered when making water allocations. Benefits may include enjoyment of resources through recreational use or the financial benefits generated from the use of water for economic purposes.
Economic Efficiency means bringing the greatest benefit to the greatest number of users possible with the available financial and water resources. This requires that the most economically efficient option is selected. The economic value is not only about price – it should consider current and future social and environmental costs and benefits.
Ecological Sustainability requires that aquatic ecosystems are acknowledged as users and that adequate allocation is made to sustain their natural functioning. Achieving this criterion also requires that land uses and developments that negatively impact these systems are avoided or limited.
IWRM Components and Framework
The IWRM framework and approach recognizes the three pillars of IWRM which includes :
The enabling environment – the general framework of national policies, legislation and regulations and information for water resources management stakeholders;
The institutional roles and functions of the various administrative levels and stakeholders; and
The management instruments, including operational instruments for effective regulation, monitoring and enforcement that enable the decision-makers to make informed choices between alternative actions.
IWRM is thus a set of common-sense suggestions as to what makes up important management aspects with a flexible approach that can adapt to diverse local and national contexts. It requires policy-makers to make judgments about which set of suggestions, reform measures, management tools, and institutional arrangements are suitable in a particular cultural, social, political, economic or environmental context.
IWRM Principles
A meeting in Dublin in 1992 gave rise to four principles, the Dublin principles for IWRM that are presented as:
1. Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development, and the environment involving an holistic approach.
2. Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach involving users, planners, and policy makers at all levels.
3. Women play a central part in the provision, management, and safeguarding of water. Involvement of women in decision‐making is important.
4. Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognised as an economic good.
THE ADB-STRATEGY FOR INTRODUCING IWRM IN RIVER BASINS: 25 IMPORTANT ELEMENTS
The following 25 elements are widely accepted to be important in introducing IWRM in river basins. Incorporating these elements into institutional reforms, development strategies, and investment projects will make a significant difference for IWRM in the basin.
1. River basin organization: Build capacity in new or existing RBO, focusing on the four dimensions of performance (stakeholders, internal business processes, learning and growth, and finance) under the Network of Asian River Basin Organization’s (NARBO) benchmarking service.
2. Stakeholder participation: Institutionalize stakeholder participation in the river basin planning and management process including active participation of local governments, civil society organizations (academe, NGOs, parliamentarians, media), and the private sector, and an enabling framework for meaningful stakeholder participation in project specific planning decisions.
3. River basin planning: Prepare or update a comprehensive river basin plan or strategy, with participation and ownership of basin stakeholders, and application of IWRM principles in land use planning processes.
4. Public awareness:Introduce or expand public awareness programs for IWRM in collaboration with civil society organizations and the media.
5. Water allocation: Reduce water allocation conflicts among uses and geographical areas in the basin with participatory and negotiated approaches, incorporating indigenous knowledge and practices.
6. Water rights: Introduce effective water rights or entitlements administration that respects traditional or customary water use rights of local communities and farmers and farmer organizations.
7. Wastewater permits: Introduce or improve wastewater discharge permits and effluent charges to implement the polluter pays principle.
8. IWRM financing: Institutionalize models whereby all levels of government contribute budget to IWRM in the basin.
9. Economic instruments: Introduce raw water pricing and/or other economic instruments to share in IWRM costs, stimulate water demand management and conservation, protect the environment and pay for environmental services.
10. Regulations: Support the development and implementation of a legal and regulatory framework to implement the principles of IWRM and its financing in the basin, including tariffs, charges, quality standards and delivery mechanisms for water services.
11. Infrastructure for multiple benefits: Develop and/or manage water resources infrastructure to provide multiple benefits (such as hydropower, water supply, irrigation, flood management, salinity intrusion, and ecosystems maintenance).
12. Private sector contribution: Introduce or increase private sector participation in IWRM through corporate social responsibility (CSR)-type contributions.
13. Water education: Introduce IWRM into school programs to increase water knowledge and develop leadership among the youth, including responsibility for water monitoring in local water bodies.
14. Watershed management: Invest to protect and rehabilitate upper watersheds in collaboration with local communities and civil society organizations.
15. Environmental flows: Introduce a policy and implementation framework for introducing environmental flows and demonstrate its application.
16. Disaster management: Investments in combined structural and nonstructural interventions to reduce vulnerability against floods, droughts, chemical spills and other disasters in the basin.
17. Flood forecasting: Introduce or strengthen effective flood forecasting and warning systems.
18. Flood damage rehabilitation: Investments in the rehabilitation of infrastructure after floods.
19. Water quality monitoring: Initiate or strengthen basin-wide water quality monitoring and application of standards.
20. Water quality improvement: Invest in structural and nonstructural interventions that reduce point and non-point water pollution.
21. Wetland conservation: Invest to conserve and improve wetlands as integral part of the river basin ecosystems.
22. Fisheries: Introduce measures to protect and improve fisheries in the river.
23. Groundwater management: Institutionalize and strengthen sustainable groundwater
management as part of IWRM.
24. Water conservation: Institutionalize a policy and implementation framework to promote efficiency of water use, conservation, and recycling.
25. Decision support information: Improve on-line publicly available river basin information systems to support IWRM policy, planning, and decision-making, including dissemination of “tool boxes” and good practices.