Dialogue Paper

World Water Assessment Programme

Side publications series

DIALOGUE PAPER

The United
Nations
World Water
Assessment
Programme

United Nations

 
 

Cultural Organization

Integrated Water Resources

Management in Action
Jan Hassing, Niels Ipsen, Torkil Jnch Clausen,
Henrik Larsen and Palle Lindgaard-Jrgensen
Jointly prepared by DHI Water Policy and
UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

Integrated Water
Resources Management
(IWRM) in Action

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Linking to key development issues

2. Using common sense and clear

language

3. Changing ways of thinking

5. Monitoring progress

6. Challenges in the practical application 6

7. Implementation takes time and
trade-offs are required

8. Top-down and bottom-up processes

go hand in hand

9. The practical application of IWRM

principles as examples of good practices 8
10. IWRM roadmapping towards the
MDGs and beyond

Annex 1

Examples of countries that have

adopted IWRM as a key concept

11

Annex 2

Water and the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs)

13

Annex 3

Global IWRM indicators based on milestones

towards achieving the MDGs

Annex 4

Examples of good practice in IWRM

14

16

Jan Hassing, Niels Ipsen, Torkil Jnch Clausen,

Henrik Larsen, Palle Lindgaard-Jrgensen
Jointly prepared by DHI Water Policy and
UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

Introduction
This paper sets out to explore some of the practical aspects of
the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM). The presentation has the following flow:
1. The relevance of IWRM for a number of key development
issues
2. The key characteristics of the concept
3. The global status of IWRM
4. Practical implementation the challenges
5. Practical implementation case studies showing successful
applications to problematic management scenarios
6. How IWRM programmes are being linked with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and adaptation to
climate change by the setting of achievement milestones

1. Linking to key development issues

A number of factors or drivers put pressure on water
resources and affect the options and requirements for water
management. These are mainly socio-economic drivers but they
also include less controllable factors such as climate change.
Population growth is a very important driver, creating demands
for more water and producing additional wastewater and pollution. It is estimated that the worlds population will increase
by about three billion people by 2050 thats an increase of
almost 50 per cent. The vast majority of this growth will take
place in developing countries, with all the challenges that carries in terms of investment needs for water supply and wastewater treatment. In urban areas, the situation is compounded
by the expected continued migration from rural to urban areas,
which increases the current level of difficulty in securing and
protecting water resources, especially for the urban poor. Also,
other migrants (for example environmental refugees, who
sometimes move because of water problems) may contribute
to an unsustainable pressure on water resources in order to
survive in their new destinations, be they urban or rural.
The strong and sustained economic growth in many developing or middle-income countries with large populations (such
as Brazil, China and India) has itself contributed to increased
pressure on water resources. One of the changes in lifestyle
typically associated with increased wealth is an increased

Table 1
Key development
issues

Examples of how IWRM links to

the key development issue

Examples of the adoption of IWRM as a factor in addressing

development issues

Adapting to climate change

Assists appropriate planning of water

use, conservation, and the protection
of surface-water and ground-water with
better resilience and/or larger safety
margins

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes the

goal of achieving sustainable water resources management through
IWRM. Land and water governance are seen as important components.
The adoption of management measures that are robust to uncertainty is
essential. IWRM is useful in this respect because it is based on the concepts
of flexibility and adaptability.

Mitigating disaster risks

(e.g. floods and droughts)

Assists disaster preparedness

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) adopted an Integrated

Flood Management (IFM) approach within the framework of IWRM and
formed the Associate Programme on Flood Management (APFM) in
November 2000. The Global Water Partnership helped to establish the
APFM and is a close partner.

Securing food production

Assists the efficient production of food

crops in irrigated agriculture

The African ministers round-table discussion on sustainable food security

was held in parallel with the 32nd United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) Conference in December 2003 in Rome. The roundtable group agreed that all African countries should improve efficiency
in irrigated agriculture for food production by adopting an integrated
approach to water management.

Reducing health risks

Reduces health risks in particular

through the management of water
quality

The UNECE1 Water Conventions Protocol on Water and Health came into
force in 2007. The protocol requires countries to set health targets and
establish measures for improved water management in order to reach
targets. Progress towards IWRM has been chosen as an indicator for
improved water management.

Sustaining a healthy aquatic

environment

Supports the maintenance of

environmental flows and ecological
reserves

Under its 2007 water policy and strategy, the UNEP2 freshwater programme
promotes and assists ecosystem management to be an integral part of
national and regional IWRM reform processes. Allocation of minimum flows
for ecosystems (environmental flow) is strongly promoted by the IUCN3 and
can be considered as a component of the IWRM framework.

Collaboration in the
management of freshwater
and coastal water

Advances the management of

freshwater and the coastal zone as a
continuum

Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management (ICARM) links

IWRM and coastal zone management. ICARM is endorsed by the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF) as a basic concept for the GEF International
Waters project portfolio. Similarly, the mainstreaming of coastal zone
protective actions in national IWRM processes is a strategy adopted by the
member countries of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of
the Marine Environment (GPA).

Ensuring sustainable water

infrastructure

Assists in giving a cross-sectoral view of

water development and a multipurpose
infrastructure

Lack of appropriate and integrated water resources management

development plans can be very costly when it comes to investments in
infrastructure. Adequate cross-sectoral co-ordination, a sound scientific
knowledge base, capacity assessment, water allocation mechanisms,
environmental regulations, etc. are key to preventing investment failures
or sub-optimal economic and financial cost recovery. This is acknowledged
by the World Commission on Dams which provides twenty-six guiding
principles. A subset of these principles reflects key areas of the IWRM concept.
Moreover, the Bank-Netherlands Water Partnership Program (BNWPP) aims
at supporting countries in IWRM prior to or in parallel with larger hydraulic
infrastructural development.

Collaboration in the
management of land and
water

Advances the management of land

and water by considering their mutual
impacts

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) emphasizes the co-ordinated

management of land and water through their adopted IWRM Strategy.
This strategy is currently being followed-up through the Basin
Development Plan (BDP 2) prepared collaboratively by Laos, Cambodia,
Viet Nam and Thailand where water and land are of key strategic
importance for the economy.

Planning transboundary
collaboration

Assists water management with the

catchment as the management unit,
irrespective of whether it is within
national boundaries or shared between
two or more countries

Heads of state and government in the Region of the Economic Community

of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted the West African Regional
Action Plan for IWRM. This plan endorses IWRM as a framework for the
management of the regions water resources including, among others, the
transboundary Niger, Volta and Senegal rivers. The adoption took place in
Bamako, Mali in December 2000.

Managing the water-energy

relationship

Addresses the link between water and

energy

Along with the vast quantities of water that are abstracted and consumed
during energy production, the massive amounts of electricity required for
the conveyance, treatment and application of water in various circumstances
is an issue of growing concern. This is particularly true in situations where
there is growing competition for limited water resources and/or climatic
changes are altering the timing and availability of water. While this is a
comparatively new topic on the global agenda, it is already recognized that
IWRM offers ways of making balanced management decisions.

1 UNECE The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

2 UNEP The United Nations Environment Programme
3 IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature

2

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2. Using common sense and clear language

demand for meat, which has a much larger virtual
water content1 than vegetarian food. The general
trend towards consumerism thats associated with
increased wealth is likely to lead to a larger water
footprint per capita because of the virtual water
content of most commodities.
Another economic driver, the globalization of trading goods and services, provides opportunities but
also adds to the pressure on water resources. Waterstressed countries can reduce their stress by importing water-intensive goods and services, but very
often, this issue is not addressed. The relocation of
production and employment to cheaper areas is often
driven solely by economic considerations. But it
shifts the issues of increased water consumption and
water pollution to more vulnerable areas that may
be eager to satisfy demands for jobs and economic
development. Such shifts often take place without
proper consideration for water resources issues.
As indicated, many development issues are dependent
on water resources. This applies, in particular to the
way in which water resources are managed. In addition to the links mentioned above, water management, in its many different dimensions, is also crucial
for the achievement of the Millenium Development
Goals (MDGs). (Formore detail on this, see Annex 2).
Water management that follows the principles of
IWRM has been recognized and adopted by key
players in a very wide cross-section of sectors. IWRM
has for instance been adopted for its importance in
relation to the efficient production of food crops in
irrigated agriculture, for its assistance in reducing
water-related health risks, and its important role in
reducing the risks of floods and droughts.
Table 1 gives prominent examples of how IWRM
links to key development issues and assists in
addressing them. Examples are also given of institutions and agencies that have adopted the IWRM
approach to addressing water issues. Using common
sense and clear language

2. Using common sense and clear language

IWRM is an empirical concept which was built up
from the on-the-ground experience of practitioners.
Although many parts of the concept have been
around for several decades in fact since the first
global water conference in Mar del Plata in 1977 it
was not until after Agenda 21 and the World Summit
on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 1992 in Rio
that the concept was made the object of extensive
discussions as to what it means in practice. The
concept has been adopted widely by water managers,
decision-makers and politicians around the world.
1 Virtual water refers to the total volume of freshwater that is
used to produce a particular good or service. Similarly, the water
footprint of an individual, business or nation is defined as the total
volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services
consumed by the individual, business or nation.

The emergence of the concept is one of the results

of a search for a new water management paradigm.
Faced with increasing water scarcity, pollution,
climate change, and fractioned and isolated sectoral
water management practices, the water community
contributed useful principles and noted which
links they saw as essential for more efficient and
sustainable water resources management. These links
and principles were placed in a societal framework
together with the goals of economic efficiency,
social equity and the sustainability of ecosystems.
In preparation for the Rio Summit, the four Dublin
Principles were agreed upon by nearly 500 government-designated experts from 100 countries who
assembled at the International Conference on Water
and the Environment in Dublin in January 1992.

Box 1

Key principles in IWRM

The Dublin Principles

Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential

to sustain life, development and the environment
Water development and management should be based
on a participatory approach involving users, planners
and policy makers at all levels
Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water
Water has an economic value in all its competing uses
and should be recognized as an economic good
The International Conference on Water and the Environment,
January 1992, Dublin

Later the same year, these principles helped to

inspire Chapter 18 of Agenda 21, which was agreed
at government level. For decision-makers and
practitioners alike, these principles have provided a
simple, understandable and very useful guidance for
water resources management and development over
the last 17 years. The Global Water Partnerships2
definition of IWRM is widely accepted and is also
used for the purposes of this presentation. It states:
IWRM is a process which promotes the
co-ordinated development and management
of water, land and related resources, in order
to maximize the resultant economic and
social welfare in an equitable manner without
compromising the sustainability of vital
ecosystems.
Implementing an IWRM process is a question of
getting the three pillars right (see Figure 1):
1. moving towards an enabling environment of
appropriate policies, strategies and legislation
2 The Global Water Partnership (GWP) was founded in 1996 with
reference to these principles, and has since developed mechanisms
for sharing good practices via a global network of organizations in
currently fourteen sub-regions and seventy countries that are committed to sustainable water resources management via IWRM.

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Action

Figure 1

The three pillars of IWRM: an enabling environment, an institutional framework

andmanagement instruments

for sustainable water resources development and

management
2. putting in place the institutional framework
through which the policies, strategies and legislation can be implemented
3. setting up the management instruments required
by these institutions to do their job
IWRM is thus not a scientific theory that needs to
be proved or disproved by scholars. Rather it is a set
of common-sense suggestions as to what makes up
important management aspects. IWRM has proved
to be a flexible approach to water management 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 most
appropriate in a particular cultural, social, political,
economic or environmental context.
One of the great strengths of IWRM is that it has
given the water community a common language
thats applicable over a wide range of levels from
the local to the national and regional. This allows
knowledge and lessons-learned to be exchanged
across borders, across regions and at a local level,
and makes it possible for decision-makers and managers to agree on and monitor policies and targets for
the improvement of water resources management.
4

3. Changing ways of thinking

IWRM processes are now established or being
established in many parts of the world. At the
4th World Water Forum in Mexico (2006), it was
reported that out of ninety-five countries examined, 74 per cent either had IWRM strategies in
place or had initiated a process for the formulation
of such strategies. The table in Annex 1 gives a
non-exhaustive list of forty-two countries that
have adopted and explicitly used the term IWRM
in their official documents dealing with water
resources management. While it is obvious that the
existence of such documents alone is not proof that
IWRM is working in these countries, it is indisputable that such documents are essential for helping
to create and support an enabling environment for
water reforms.
An attempt to establish a more detailed picture of
the extent to which IWRM has been adopted by
government institutions was made by the United
Nations Environment Programme Collaborating
Centre for Water and Environment (UCC-Water)
through a survey completed in 2007 with the
support of the UNEP IWRM 2005 Programme.
The survey covered fifty-eight countries in Africa,
Central Asia, South-East Asia, Latin America and
the Caribbean. The respondents were typically
senior government officials. One of the indicators
used was the institutional capacity for maintaining

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3. Changing ways of thinking

Figure 2

The institutional capacity for carrying out various IWRM-inspired functions

Cost recovery of WRM

Facilitating water demand management

Policy formulation
2
Drafting laws/regulations
Environental assessments

1.5
1

Aquatic ecosystems

International Cooperation.
Shared watercourses

0.5
Conflict mediation

Information and data

0

Socio-economic assessments

Monitoring water availability

Pollution loads

Water resources assessments

Ambient WQ

Water allocation

Planning resource use etc

Water use

Mean
The ratings that the respondents were asked to give were: 0 = function not established, 1= function has many gaps in quality and
coverage, 2= function has some gaps in quality and coverage, 3 = function operates at realistic goal levels.

various functions basic to IWRM, for instance policy

formulation, water allocation and water demand
management. The result is shown in Figure 2.
From the figure it appears that countries have the
best-developed capacities highest scores in terms
of the formulation of policies, the drafting of laws
and co-operation on shared watercourses. Recovery
of for the cost of water resources management and
the capacity for water demand management were
among the areas that scored lowest.
The results of the survey showed an expected pattern. From experience it is known that countries and
governments that start from scratch to reform their
water sector, focus on the preparation of policies,
laws and regulations (the enabling environment)
first. New policies and laws pave the way for new
institutions, set institutional roles, and develop the
capacities for taking on these roles. With institutions
in place, the new management instruments and capabilities needed to perform IWRM can be developed.
Another important indicator of progress towards
IWRM is the number of countries that have water
laws that include certain characteristic IWRM
principles. For the same fifty-eight countries, the
results are shown in Figure 3, overleaf.
Figure 3 shows some interesting results. The highest
scoring indicator is participation of stakeholders
the second Dublin principle. The second-most

frequent principle is user pays, while river basin

management comes in third. These results, as well
as other survey results, illustrate that many countries
acknowledge the usefulness of IWRM principles
and associated management approaches as guidelines in the advancement of their water resources
management.
Since 2002, the UN organizations dealing with water
(UN-Water) have co-ordinated and monitored the
global progress towards IWRM and Water Efficiency
Plans3. At the CSD-16 in 2008, UN-Water reported
on the latest status of IWRM planning work4.

5. Monitoring progress
The previous sections show that monitoring the
level of adoption and use of IWRM is a challenge
in itself. Many methodological issues emerge
along with issues of definitions of indicators. But
3 Article 26 of the Plan of Implementation adopted at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in
2002 called for countries to develop Integrated Water Resources
Management and Water Efficiency Plans by 2005.
4 UN-Water (2008). Status Report on Integrated Water Resources
Management and Water Efficiency Plans. Prepared for the 16th session
of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May
2008. This status reporting is based on surveys made by the United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)
in 2007, by UCC-Water itself also in 2007, by the Global Water
Partnership (GWP) in 2006, and by the African Development Bank
(AfDB) in 2007.

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

8. Top-down and bottom-up processes go hand in hand

7. Implementation takes time and

trade-offs are required
Like any other reform, IWRM is a process that could
take several decades before it reaches the point where
water resources management is taking place according to the most important principles. In France, the
process was started with the establishment of basin
agencies in 1968. Other important milestones were a
revised water law in 1992, which was brought in line
with the EUs Water Framework Directive in 2003.
In Spain, the maturing of the process has lasted
close to eighty years. The monitoring of progress
towards IWRM in developing countries that have a
weak institutional capacity for change shows a rather
slow progress towards IWRM, as would be expected.
There are many other factors limiting the speed of
the process in developing countries. In these countries, the water sector is predominantly informal,
especially in the rural areas where it is based to a
large degree on self-supply and local, informal water
institutions. Regulatory influence is minimal and
laws, prices and policies often fail to function. In
contrast, the water sector in developed countries is
more formalized and to a large degree the behaviour
of the sector is under direct regulatory influence.
The chance of success for IWRM at the national level
goes hand-in-hand with the development of national
governance structures and an approach towards a
more formal water sector. At the local level, IWRM
principles still guide water resources management
but initiatives and actions are taken by the communities of their own accord. The IWRM process takes a
long time, but that does not mean that its principles
and goals do not need to be pursued in a world of
increasing scarcity and competition for water.
Likewise, the implementation of IWRM requires
tough trade-offs between sometimes conflicting
objectives. Changing a water law typically involves
changing an indirect power balance in relation to
water between different interest groups. Changing
water allocations in order to achieve a better overall
societal use of water will, typically, yield both winners and losers some users will get more and others
will get less. In some countries, for example the
large irrigation countries of Asia, large water users
are influential but represent an inefficient use of
water. In such cases, the implementation of IWRM
may require delicate, time-consuming and difficult
negotiations and trade-offs, as well as a change of
mindset for farmers.

Box 2

A framework for the development

of indicators for monitoring IWRM

A framework for the development of indicators for

monitoring the IWRM process and its outcomes can be
structured at four different levels, or orders, with each
order measuring progress at the various stages of the
IWRM planning cycle:
1st order: Measuring to what extent the basic conditions for IWRM have been established ( the paperwork
has been done)
2nd order: Measuring to what extent IWRM reform
processes have taken effect (institutions and stakeholders have changed water management behaviour)
3rd order: Measuring to what extent key water issues
have been addressed (changes have taken place in
nature and society)
4th order: Measuring the sustainability of economic,
environmental and equitable uses of water (changes
and developmental effects are sustainable)
Modified after Stephen B. Olsen1

1 Olsen, Stephen B. 2003. Framework and indicators for

assessing progress in coastal management initiatives. Ocean
and Coastal Management, Vol.46, Amsterdam, Elsevier Science,
pp47361

with it. In economic terms, you could say that it has

little or no value. As scarcity sets in, competition
increases and the resource will increase in value.
Society needs to regulate the use of the resource
and make sure that water is not wasted on low-value
uses, but is used in the most beneficial way. Until
that happens, local initiatives and local ownership
are essential in the majority of cases where water
demands are relatively small. Large-scale use will
continue to be regulated centrally.

8. Top-down and bottom-up processes

go hand in hand

Regardless of the degree to which water resources

management is centralized, involving water users
and interest groups remains important for the
commitment to and outcome of IWRM. For crosssectoral and multi-stakeholder dialogues at national,
basin, and local level, it is important to have active
NGOs or other civil society organizations through
which dialogues can take place. This is important for
overall water management results and many governments encourage and support such dialogues as part
of establishing an appropriate enabling environment
for IWRM.

The level of centralized influence on the management of a water resource has shown to some degree
to be dictated by how scarce it is, either as a result
of lack of water itself or as a result of poor water
quality. If you have a resource that is of good
quality and is plentiful in terms of the demands
made on it, it may seem not to matter how you deal

As the progression above alludes, bottom-up water

resources management processes can thrive in situations where there is an abundant supply of water
to meet demand. When the squeeze is on, however, IWRM with its consolidation of an enabling
environment and institutional roles will have to
be applied. The institutional roles will describe the

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Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Action

sharing of authority and responsibility between
local levels, basin levels and a centralized level.
In 2000, South Africa had come to a stage in water
scarcity (and inequality in access) where water
reallocation became necessary. The response was a
compulsory licensing process initiated on the basis
of the National Water Act of 1998. Existing water
rights were revoked and had to be applied for again
if needed. Water licences were made time-bound and
at the same time, the links between land ownership
and water licences were severed.

9. The practical application of IWRM

principles as examples of good
practices
Whatever the rhetoric that surrounds it, IWRM
should be judged by its usefulness. The following
cases all serve to demonstrate the benefits accruing on the ground when actions are inspired and
guided by IWRM thinking and principles. Whether
or not IWRM has brought about changes that
would have appeared anyway as a result of the
co-operation of dynamic professionals and politicians with vision and common sense will never
be known. A comparison of the with IWRM and
without IWRM situation can, at best, be speculative. The very least that IWRM does, is to remind
the practitioner about a number of good and
generally accepted principles, that assist with
taking on water-sector reforms, and give common
mechanisms for exchange on best practices for
specific management solutions.

Malaysia: local level IWRM actions made

winners of both lakeside communities and
the environment
There was a conflict of needs between two sectors
using the water bodies in Kelana Jaya Municipal
Park in Malaysia. The two sectors were urban
wastewater (including stormwater and solid waste)
and the environment (including wetlands, flora
and fauna). The sectors had not been considered in
an integrated manner so stakeholders were losing
opportunities and risking health. They eventually
got together with local authorities to identify remedial IWRM actions. From these actions, improvements were made in water quality, fisheries and
health. Both lakeside communities and the environment came out as winners when the conflicts were
resolved. See also Annex 4.

USA: a conflict between pollution in a source

watershed and the water supply for New York
City was resolved in a partnership at state
level resulting in huge economic benefits.
This case is from the USA and relates to a conflict
between the polluting activities of a watershed
and an urban water supply. New York Citys water
supply (nine million consumers) from the source
watershed was experiencing a deterioration in quality. The city was faced with a choice of investing $6
8

Box 3

Management issues at increasing

levels of water scarcity the turn
of the water screw

When dealing with water, the crucial scarcity may not be

the scarcity of the natural resource itself, but rather the
scarcity of the social resources needed to adapt to water
scarcity. The significance of this message is made clear by
considering how water managers can deal with increasing
scarcity over time.
At the first turn of the water screw, the remedy is to
get more water. This goal is predominantly accomplished by water storage and transfer.
At the second turn of the water screw, the effort is
redirected towards efficiency measures, predominantly
end-use efficiency. The goal here is to get more benefit
per drop.
The last turn of the water screw is the reallocation
of water rights. This requires profound changes in
national policies because achieving allocation efficiency
could mean the withdrawal of water rights from
irrigation schemes that generate a low-value-per-unit
of water. The food needed by growing populations will
then need to be imported and paid for by the industry
and services sector. This will require large-scale social
restructuring, which risks tension and conflict within
countries and between sectors and population groups
with different stakes in the new socio-economic
environment.
Source: Snellen & Schrevel

billion in new filtration and treatment facilities or a

$1.6billion clean-up of the causes of the pollution.
In partnership mode, the water supply company
assisted the upstream farmers to implement good
farming practices, bought land for protection, and
rehabilitated existing wastewater treatment plants.
As a result of the water quality improvements, the
city avoided the need for costly filtration methods, the population of the watersheds enjoys an
improved environment and the city made a total
saving of $4.4 billion. See also Annex 4.

China: IWRM actions at provincial level

substantially improved the aquatic
environment and the water-use efficiency in
an area with over forty million inhabitants
A provincial -evel IWRM process took place in
Liaoning Province in China. Untreated industrial
and urban wastewater was polluting the streams
to a level where they were no longer supporting
the rivers ecological processes. As part of a new
institutional framework, the EU-Liaoning Water
Resource Planning Project Office was established.
This office had the responsibility of developing
and implementing an IWRM plan. Pollution loads
were reduced by 60 per cent and the quality of
the water in the river improved considerably.
Deforestation practices were halted, drinking
water within the basin was safeguarded, and

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10. IWRM roadmapping towards the MDGs and beyond

ecosystems along several river stretches were
restored. See also Annex 4.

10. IWRM roadmapping towards the

MDGs and beyond

Mexico: national level irrigation reforms

were taken following IWRM principles,
decision-making and responsibilities were
decentralized, and efficiency was greatly
increased.

As outlined in this paper, the principles of IWRM

have been widely adopted by countries and concrete
examples of how they can be applied in practical
water management have been demonstrated in many
places. However, if the water resources management
reforms are to support the achievement of the MDGs
and adaptation to climate change, the implementation of water policy changes must be linked to
efforts to achieve the MDGs and proceed at a pace
thats in-keeping with the MDGs 2015 deadline. It
has, therefore, been suggested that national IWRM
plans and strategies should have associated programmes of implementation with timeframes and
milestones, i.e. a roadmap.

Reforms were driven by external governance factors

including membership of the North American Free
Trade agreement (NAFTA), which forces efficiency
improvements in irrigated agriculture in order
to facilitate competition with US and Canadian
agro-products. This coincided with a period of rapid
economic and social change in Mexico and major
political upheaval in the traditional governing party.
To date, the outcome of decentralizing responsibilities (water-user organizations) has been positive
with water fees paid by users up from 18 per cent
of operations and maintenance costs (in 1988) to
80 per cent today. Water distribution efficiency rose
from 8 per cent to 65 per cent and there has been
a general reduction in operations and maintenance
costs because of better use of equipment and a
reduction in personnel of more than 50 per cent.
Seealso Annex 4.

Chile: a continuous interaction between

growth strategies and water issues
Over the last 20 years, Chile has successfully
incorporated water issues into its strategies for
sustainable growth offering valuable lessons to
all policy-makers involved in national development
planning, not just those responsible for water. In
Chile, water has been a key ingredient in fuelling
exports and economic growth, and the countrys
decision-makers have also made provisions that protect the environment and provide affordable water
for the poor. Through implementation of IWRM
principles, water has successfully been applied as a
strategic input to the national economy and transferred from low-value to high-value uses. As a result,
Chile provides an example of progress towards the
three Es of IWRM: economic efficiency, social
equity and environmental sustainability. See also
Annex 4.

The Fergana Valley: IWRM actions at

international level in Central Asia improved
water accessibility and irrigation efficiency.
The Fergana Valley was once the most fertile
valley in Central Asia. With a population of
approximately ten million, it is now subject to
high soil salinization and its crops are no longer
sufficient to feed its population. State boundaries
between Uzbekistan, Kyrgistan and Tajikistan make
transboundary management problematic. IWRM
principles emphasizing capacity building, higher
efficiency and equity were applied in a partnership
mode. Bottom-up IWRM approaches increased
yields and water productivity by up to 30 per cent.
See also Annex 4.

Based on the Copenhagen Initiative on Water and

Development5, UN-Water, in conjunction with the
Global Water Partnership launched the initiative,
Roadmapping for Advancing Integrated Water
Resources Management (IWRM) Processes at CSD16
in March 2008.
The initiative recommends that nationally-owned
roadmaps for improving water management through
IWRM could include a set of milestones to help
countries translate their IWRM plans into specific
actions and interventions on the ground, as well as
to monitor the impact of actions taken or interventions made. Such roadmaps could be developed
around outcomes to be achieved by implementing
water policy changes aimed at the achievement of
the MDGs and the adaptation to climate change.
It is recognized that countries are at different stages
of their water development and that management
and for institutional and policy changes to be
effective, some countries will need substantial
capacity building and time. The timeline of individual national processes will, therefore, vary widely
according to existing plans and points of departure.
Moreover, the details in planning and implementation must reflect local water issues and management
conditions.
Thus, it is envisaged that each country would make
its interpretation and design its own roadmap for
improving water management. In doing so, countries
are likely to monitor their plans to implement
IWRM and the MDG-related water resource management priorities that they have identified by keeping
a watching brief on three key inter-related processes:
the extent to which key enabling conditions for
the implementation of these priorities have been
addressed
5 The Copenhagen Initiative is an outcome of the International
Conference on Managing Water Resources Towards 2015, which
was hosted by the Danish Government in co-operation with UNWater and the Global Water Partnership and held in Copenhagen
on 13 April 2007. The Conference Summary can be found at
www.ucc-water.org

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Action

the progress of specific IWRM change processes
the extent to which improved water management
though IWRM has successfully contributed to the
achievement of the MDGs
In this way, the roadmaps would also serve as
monitoring instruments, inspiration and guidance
for countries and development partners striving to
improve water resources management for development. On the assumption that water management
policy changes should be directly related to the
milestones for the achievement of the MDGs,
roadmaps could have MDG-linked indicators that
could be monitored every three years 2009, 2012
and 2015.
In addition to the need for each country to develop
its unique implementation plan or roadmap, it is
emphasized that regular reporting and discussion
at regional and global levels can play an important
role in encouraging and supporting such processes
and addressing the barriers to progress. In 2008,
country reports to the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD) focused on progress in establishing plans to implement IWRM and in addressng
their identified MDG-related water resource
management priorities. Beyond 2008, countries are

10

encouraged to monitor on a continuing basis and

in an integrated (process and outcome) way, on all
three key inter-related processes outlined above.
To facilitate meaningful discussion and comparison,
the initiative recommends that such monitoring
may be carried out within a structured framework
under which, every three years, a specific set of
indicators or theme is chosen. The themes suggested
by UN-Water and GWP are:
2009: Focus principally on reviewing the extent
to which key enabling conditions for the implementation of national IWRM priorities have
been addressed. Note progress on specific IWRM
change processes and the realization of the waterrelated MDGs
2012: Focus principally on reviewing the progress
of specific IWRM change processes. Note progress
on enabling conditions and the realization of the
water-related MDGs
2015: Focus principally on assessing the extent
to which improving water management through
IWRM has successfully contributed to the
implementation of the MDGs. Note progress
on enabling conditions and on specific IWRM
change processes

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Annex 1: Examples of countries that have adopted IWRM as a key concept

Roadmaps, strategies, policies, laws, plans, etc. with explicit reference to IWRM
The table below provides examples of forty countries that have found IWRM a useful framework for the management of water
resources and have included it as a pivotal concept. In these countries, the concept has been included in key government
documents that guide and regulate the use, conservation and protection of a nations water resources and IWRM is being
implemented at local level. The table is not exhaustive.

Country

Evidence of the continued adoption and explicit use of IWRM

Algeria

National Plan for Water Ministry of Water Resources (2003)

National Water Law Government of Algeria (2005)
Action Plan for the implementation of an IWRM Framework Ministry of Water Resources (draft 20062007)

Angola

IWRM and Water Efficiency Roadmap Ministry of Water and Energy (draft 2007)

Argentina

IWRM Roadmap Sub-secretariat of Water Resources (2007)

Armenia

Water Code Government of Armenia (2002)

National Water Policy Government of Armenia (2005)
National Water Programme Government of Armenia (draft 2007)

Botswana

IWRM Strategy and Action Plan Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (2006)

Brazil

National Water Policy (Law No. 9433) Government of Brazil (1997)

National Water Resources Plan Ministry of Environment (SRH/MMA), National Water Council (CNRH) and National Water
Agency (ANA) (2007)

Burkina Faso

Decree No. 2003220: Action Plan for IWRM in Burkina Faso (PAGIRE) Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulics and Fishing
Resources (2003)
Burkina Faso Water Vision - Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulics and Fishing Resources (2000)
Water Law No.002-2001 Government of Burkina Faso (2001)

Cambodia

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM 2005) and Roadmaps in Cambodia Department of Water Resources
Management and Conservation (2006)
Water Law Royal Government of Cambodia (Sept 2006)

China

China Water Law Government of China 2002

Colombia

National Development Plan 20062010 National Planning Department (2006)

Costa Rica

National Strategy for Integrated Water Resources Management Government of Costa Rica (2006)
National IWRM Action Plan Government of Costa Rica (2006)
National Water Law (No. 14585) Government of Costa Rica (draft 2006)

Ivory Coast

IWRM Roadmap 2007-2015 Ministry of Environment, Water and Forestry (2007)

Egypt

National Water Resources Plan Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (2004)

Eritrea

Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency Plan (IWRM/WE) Ministry of Land Water and Environment
(draft 2007)

Ghana

IWRM Component Support programme (2004008) Water Resources Commission (2004)

Water Resources Policy Water Resources Commission (draft 2007)

Grenada

Simultaneous preparation of IWRM Roadmap and National Water Policy Water Policy Steering Committee (April 2007)

Honduras

IWRM Action Plan Honduran Water Platform (2006)

Indonesia

National Water Law No.7/2004 Government of Indonesia (2004)

IWRM Roadmap Directorate General Water Resources of Ministry of Public Works (2006)

India

National IWRM Committee Government of India 1999

National Water Policy Government of India 2002

Kazakhstan

IWRM National Roadmap including proposed project outlines speed-up of the IWRM 2005 objectives implementation in
Central Asia Government of Kazakhstan (2006)

Kenya

Water Act 2002 Government of Kenya (2002)

National Water Policy on Water Resources Management and Development (Sessional Paper No.1 of 1999) Ministry of Water
and Irrigation
Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency Plan for Kenya Ministry of Water and Irrigation (draft 2007)

Kyrgyzstan

IWRM National Roadmap including proposed project outlines speed-up of the IWRM 2005 objectives implementation in
Central Asia Government of Kyrgyzstan (2006)

Lao PDR

Policy on Water and Water Resources Government of Lao PDR (draft 2000)
The Law on Water and Water Resources Government of Lao PDR (1996)
IWRM National Roadmap Water Resources Co-ordination Committee Secretariat (2006)

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

11

Annex 1: (cont)
Country

Evidence of the continued adoption and explicit use of IWRM

Lesotho

Roadmap to completing integrated water resources management and water efficiency planning in Lesotho Ministry of
Natural Resources, Water Commission (April 2007)

Liberia

Liberia IWRM Roadmap Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy (draft 2007)
National Water Policy Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy (draft 2007)

Malawi

National Water Policy Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development (2005)

Water Resources Act No. 15 of 1969 with later amendments. Government of Malawi
Integrated Water Resources Management/Water Efficiency (IWRM/WE) Plan for Malawi Ministry of Irrigation and Water
Development (draft 2007)

Malaysia

9th Malaysia Plan Economic Planning Unit Prime Ministers Department (2006)
National Study for the Effective Implementation of IWRM in Malaysia Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2006)
Our Vision for Water in the 21st Century Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2000)

Mauritania

IWRM Action Plan National Council for Water (2007)

National Development Policy for Water & Energy Ministries of Water, Energy and Environment (1998)
National Water Act (Article 3) Government of Mauritania (2005)

Morocco

Master Plans of Integrated Water Resources Development for River Basins Ministry of Land, Water and Environment (2001)
National Water Plan Ministry of Land, Water and Environment (2006)
Decree no 2051594 Development and Revision of Master Plans and National Plans for Integrated Water Resources
Management Government of Morocco

Mozambique

National Water Resource Strategy Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (2004)
IWRM Plan National Directorate of Water Affairs (draft 2007)

Namibia

National Water Policy White Paper Government of Namibia (2000)

Water Resources Management Act Government of Namibia (2004)
Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy and Action Plan Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development
(2006)

Nicaragua

General Law on National Waters Government of Nicaragua (2007)

Environmental Action Plan Ministry of Environment (1994)
IWRM Action Plan Ministry of Environment (1996)

Philippines

Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (2004-2010) Government of Philippines (2004)

Clean Water Act Government of Philippines (2004)
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plan Framework National Water Resources Board (2007)

Swaziland

Water Policy Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (draft 2007)

IWRM and Water Efficiency Plan Water Resources Branch (draft 2007)
Water Act (2003) Government of Swaziland

Tajikistan

IWRM National Roadmap Including Proposed Project Outlines: Speed-up of the IWRM 2005 Objectives Implementation in
Central Asia Government of Tajikistan (2006)

Tanzania

National Water
IWRM Strategy
National Water
National Water

Thailand

National Water Law/Code Government. of Thailand (draft 2007)

National Water Policy Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2000)
IWRM National Roadmap Department of Water Resources (2007)

Togo

National Water Policy Directorate of Water and Sewerage (draft 2007)

National Water Law Directorate of Water and Sewerage (draft 2007)
IWRM Roadmap Directorate of Water and Sewerage (draft 2007)

Turkmenistan

IWRM National Roadmap including proposed project outlines speed-up of the IWRM 2005 objectives implementation in
Central Asia Government of Turkmenistan (2006)

Uganda

A National Water Policy Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment (1999)

National Water Action Plan Water Resources Management Department (1994)
Water Resources Management Reform Strategy Water Resources Management Department (2005)
National Water Quality Management Strategy Ministry of Water and Environment (2006)

Uzbekistan

IWRM National Roadmap Including Proposed Project Outlines speed-up of the IWRM 2005 objectives implementation in
Central Asia Government of Uzbekistan (2006)

Zambia

IWRM and Water Efficiency Plan Ministry of Energy and Water Development (2006)
The Revised National Water Policy Ministry of Energy and Water Development (2007)
Water Resources Management Bill Ministry of Energy and Water Development (draft 2007)
National Development Plan Ministry of Energy and Water Development (2007)

12

Sector Development Programme 20062025 Ministry of Water (2006)

and Action Plan Ministry of Water (2004)
Policy Ministry of Water (2002)
Law based on revised Water Act No. 42 of 1974 Government of Tanzania (draft 2007)

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Annex 2: Water and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Millennium Development
Goal

Contribution of improved water resources management and access to

water supply and sanitation

Poverty

Water is a factor of production in agriculture, industry and other economic activities

To halve the proportion of the

worlds people whose income is
less than a dollar a day

Investments in water infrastructure and services is a catalyst for local and regional development
Reduced vulnerability to water-related hazards reduces risks in investments and production
Reduced ecosystem degradation makes the livelihoods of the poor more secure
Improved health increases productivity and reduces the burden on those who care for the sick

Hunger

Water is a direct input to irrigation for expanded grain production

To halve the proportion of

the worlds people who suffer
from hunger

Reliable water is needed for subsistence agriculture, homes, gardens, livestock and tree crops
Water is needed for the sustainable production of fish, tree crops, and other foods gathered in common
property resources (also affects poverty when such goods are sold for income)
Cheaper food prices mean less urban hunger
Healthy people are better able to absorb the nutrients in food than those suffering from water-related
diseases, particularly worms

Primary Education
To ensure that children
everywhere complete a full
course of primary schooling

Improved school attendance as a result of improved health and reduced water-carrying burdens,
especially for girls
Having separate sanitation facilities for girls and boys in schools increases girls school attendance

Gender Equality

Community-based organizations for water management improve the social capital of women

To ensure girls and boys have

equal access to primary and
secondary education

Reduced health and care-giving burdens brought about by improved water services give women more time
for productive endeavours, adult education, empowerment activities and leisure
Water sources and sanitation facilities closer to home put women and girls at less risk of sexual harassment
and assault while gathering water and searching for privacy
Higher rates of child survival are a precursor to the demographic transition toward lower fertility rates;
having fewer children reduces womens reproductive responsibilities

Child Mortality
To reduce by two-thirds the
death rate for children under five

Improved quantities and quality of domestic water and sanitation reduce main morbidity and mortality in
young children
Improved nutrition and food security reduces susceptibility to disease

Maternal Mortality

Improved health and reduced labour burdens from water carrying reduce mortality risks

To reduce by three-quarters the

rate of maternal mortality

Improved health and nutrition reduce susceptibility to anaemia and other conditions that affect maternal
mortality
Sufficient quantities of clean water for washing pre- and post-birth cut down on life-threatening infections
Higher rates of child survival are a precursor to the demographic transition toward lower fertility rates, and
fewer pregnancies per woman reduce maternal mortality

Major Disease

Better water management reduces mosquito habitats

To halve, halt and begin to

reverse the spread of HIV,
malaria, other major diseases

Better water management reduces the incidence of a range of other water-borne diseases

Environmental sustainability

Improved water management, including pollution control and water conservation, is a key factor in
maintaining ecosystem integrity

To stop the unsustainable

exploitation of natural resources
and to halve the proportion of
people who are unable to reach
or afford safe drinking water

Improved health and nutrition reduce susceptibility to and the severity of HIV/AIDS and other major diseases

The development of integrated management within river basins creates situations where sustainable
ecosystem management is possible and upstream-downstream effects are mitigated
Biodiversity conservation and combating desertification are furthered by sound water management

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

13

Annex 3: Global IWRM indicators based on milestones towards achieving

the MDGs
The first set of indicators (focus for 2009):
Putting enabling conditions in place
Here, the focus should be on ensuring that enabling
conditions are in place, and that change processes
have been initiated in accordance with a politically
supported and approved legal framework and with
the allocation of appropriate financing sources for
management functions. To illustrate the way in
which countries might monitor progress in these
areas, here are some possible examples of process
indicators that could be used:
Make the following changes to ensure an enabling
environment:

The second set of indicators (focus for 2012):

Seeing the IWRM change process taking
effect
Here, the focus should be on ensuring that the
implementation of change processes takes place
and that changes begin to take effect to influence
the way in which water managers at all levels deal
with water. To illustrate the ways in which countries
might monitor progress in these areas, here are some
possible examples of performance indicators that
could be used:
Enabling environment

Revise and amend policies and laws

New legislation and standards show that institutional capacity building is taking effect

Mainstream water into national development

policies, strategies and plans

Water resources agencies are starting to administer according to new IWRM principles

Allocate appropriate and sustainable funding in

national budgets

Institutional framework

Make the following changes to ensure a robust institutional framework:

Establish cross-sectoral co-ordination frameworks
Change ministerial and departmental mandates
Formally involve stakeholder groups

Sector ministries are actively promoting and

implementing the IWRM approach
Water-use organizations and the private sector
are increasingly co-ordinating water use in cooperation with government authorities
Awareness and management capacity is growing
measurably in government and user groups

Launch awareness and mobilization campaigns

Decentralize responsibility and delegate decisionmaking at the river basin, provincial/local and
community levels
Develop the capacity of government staff and
stakeholder groups
Make the following changes in management instruments:
Improve information management
Carry out assessments of water resources issues
Develop IWRM strategies and plans
Produce coherent water resources development
and management plans that support the achievement of the MDGs

Management instruments
Monitoring and research programs are documenting the impacts and causes of major water
issues
Transparent, coherent and consensus-based planning and strategy-making is taking effect in all
sectors
Social, economic and regulatory instruments are
changing inappropriate water allocations and
uses
Water conflicts across the sectors are mediated
through the participation of appropriate stakeholder groups

Demand the management of user behaviour and

water-use efficiency
Introduce social change instruments for public
awareness, mobilization and conflict mediation
Develop regulatory instruments and associated
enforcement frameworks
Formulate economic instruments to encourage
behavioural change

14

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Annex 3: Global IWRM indicators based on milestones towards achieving the MDGs

The third set of indicators (focus for 2015):

Mitigating key water constraints related to
the achievement of the MDGs
Here, the focus should be on reviewing the extent
to which the required water infrastructure has been
developed and water resources management issues
addressed in accordance with the strategic goals and
targets in water resources development and management plans and thus in a way that supports the
achievement of the MDGs. To illustrate the way in
which countries might monitor progress in these
areas, here are some possible examples of process
and outcome indicators that could be used:
MDG 1: Poverty and Hunger
The infrastructure to store surface water and
further develop groundwater resources is put in
place
The health of aquatic ecosystems particularly
fish is optimized and protected
Rural poor populations are protected against
flood risks
MDGs 46: Health
Discharges of human waste waters are treated
for bacterial contamination to prevent diarrhoea
outbreaks
Toxic emissions from industrial enterprises are
controlled within international health standards
Pesticide release to ground-water, wetlands and
surface-water is controlled
MDG 7: Environmental sustainability
Appropriate environmental flows are ensured in
order to maintain wetlands, goods and services
Safe water supply and sanitation expansion has
reached or exceeded Target 10 (to halve by 2015
the proportion of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation)
Urban slum dwellers are protected against
flooding
Social, economic and regulatory instruments are
changing inappropriate water allocations and
uses
Water conflicts across the sectors are mediated
through the participation of stakeholder groups

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

15

Annex 4: Examples of good practice in IWRM

Malaysia: local level: The rehabilitation of
lakes in Kelana Jaya Municipal Park6
Issues: Tin-mining activities created polluted ponds,
reservoirs and lakes. Rapid development added
wastewater, solid waste and storm water overflow to
the main lake in the area used for fishing, recreation
and, potentially, for a non-drinking water supply.
The lake ecosystem changed completely caused by
poor water quality and the loss of wetland plants
and animal life.
IWRM actions: A stakeholder forum was formed with
400 Friends of Kelana Jaya Park and a 15-member
steering committee. An awareness programme was
introduced in three schools to target students,
parents and teachers. Communities and local
authorities were brought together and they identified
and implemented the actions necessary for integrating urban and environment planning.
Tangible impacts: Solid waste and wastewater from
storm drains were reduced by 60 per cent and
the quality of discharge from an oxidation pond
improved after refurbishment work was carried out.
Water quality in the lake improved, with consequent
benefits for fishing and lake ecosystems, and health
benefits were observed in the lakeside communities.

USA: state level: New York City water officials

as partners in watershed management7
Issues: Faced with a deteriorating quality of input
water, the city of New York had the choice of building a new water supply treatment plant at a cost
of $6 billion or taking comprehensive measures to
improve and protect the quality of the source water
in the Croton and Catskill/Delaware watersheds. The
watersheds cover an area of approximately 5,000
km2 and deliver water for over nine million people
in New York. Dual goals of protecting water quality
and preserving the economic viability of watershed
communities were set out.
IWRM Actions: Partnerships were developed
between New York City; New York State; the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); watershed
counties, towns and villages; and environmental and
public interest groups. Programmes were developed
to balance agriculture, urban and rural wastewater
and storm drainage infrastructure, the environment,
and the quality of water in the nineteen reservoirs
and three controlled lakes. A watershed agricultural
programme was supplemented by land acquisition,
6 Global Water Partnership. ToolBox for Integrated Water Resources
Management Rehabilitation of lakes in Kelana Jaya Municipal
Park (Case #173). www.gwptoolbox.org/index.php?option=com_
case&id=116&Itemid=46 (Accessed 17 February 2009).
7 Commission on Geosciences, Environment and Research
(CEGR). 2000. Watershed Management for Potable Water Supply:
Assessing the New York City Strategy. Washington D. C., National
Academies Press.

16

watershed regulations, environmental and economic

partnership programmes, wastewater treatment plant
upgrades and protection measures at reservoirs.
Tangible impacts: More than 350 farms within the
watershed are implementing best-management
practices, thereby reducing pollution loads; some
280 km2 of land has been acquired for protection;
effective watershed regulations have been enforced;
the problem of 2,000 failing septic-tank systems has
been remedied; and existing wastewater treatment
plants have been upgraded with tertiary treatment.
There has been a reduction of more than 50 per cent
in coliform bacteria, total phosphorus and several
other major contaminants. As a result of the water
quality improvements, the citys water supply has
been exempted from filtration, the population of the
watersheds enjoys a better quality environment and
the city made a total saving of $4.4 billion.

China: provincial level: Liao river basin

management8
Issues: The province of Liaoning, with a population
of over forty million, has seen rapid development
resulting in water shortages and severe water pollution. In the 1980s, water-use efficiency was very
low in urban and industrial areas and for irrigation.
Water pollution was rampant. No fish could be
found in 70 per cent of the streams and ecosystem
productive functions had ceased in 60 per cent of
the streams. Citizens were ignorant of water conservation issues. Urban wastewater was discharged
untreated into streams and in some cases infiltrated
the ground-water aquifers. Deforestation took place
in the upper parts of the catchments.
IWRM Actions: An institutional framework was
set up comprising the Liaoning Cleaner Water
Project Office, the Liao River Basin Co-ordination
Commission, and the EU-Liaoning Water Resource
Planning Project Office. Together, they developed an
IWRM Planning Project. Under this project, a water
resources assessment was carried out, a reform of
the policy for water exploitation and use was made,
water prices were adjusted, a monitoring network
was established, and capacity building within an
IWRM framework was encouraged. In addition,
the Cleaner Water Project created a wastewater
infrastructure where low-production-high-pollution
production was discouraged and planning was put in
place to prevent and control pollution. Development
of the Liao River Basin was planned and a reforestation programme was implemented.
Tangible impacts: Pollution loads were reduced by
60 per cent and the quality of river water improved
considerably. Upstream-downstream conflicts
8 Lis Stedman. 2003. Liaonings search for sustainability. Water21.
London, IWA Publishing, pp. 2022.

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Annex 4: Examples of good practice in IWRM

were reduced and deforestation practices halted.
Drinking water within the basin was safeguarded
and ecosystems along several stretches of the river
were restored. Groundwater pollution was reduced
and public awareness of demand management and
pollution risks was raised.

Mexico: national level: irrigation reform

following IWRM principles9
Issues: The Mexican government suffered a severe
financial crisis in the 1980s. One of the results of
this was that the budget for the maintenance of the
national irrigation system was reduced significantly.
This created a vicious cycle in the irrigation sector
rapidly deteriorating systems made farmers unwilling
to pay for irrigation water, thus creating a shortage
of funds. The ineffective irrigation also generated
widespread salinization and drainage problems.
IWRM Actions: The financial crisis led to drastic
changes in Mexicos irrigation policy. The National
Development Plan (19891994) called for an increase
in irrigation efficiency and a better use of the existing infrastructure. Under the National Program for
Decentralization of Irrigation Districts, the Mexican
government initiated the transfer of irrigation
districts to Water User Associations (WUAs). Along
with the management transfer, the government, supported by the World Bank and the Inter-American
Development Bank, invested in rehabilitation and
improvement to irrigation and drainage systems and
in operation and maintenance equipment, which
was transferred to the WUAs along with the systems.
In 1992, the Mexican government issued a renewed
federal National Water Law (NWL) and corresponding regulations as the main legal basis for water
and irrigation management in the country. The
NWL explicitly declares sustainable development as
its primary objective. Furthermore, it is consistent
with Mexicos efforts related to decentralization,
water-user participation, the efficient use of water,
the expanded participation of the private sector,
and fiscal policies related to the collection of water
levies for both water use and water pollution control.
Political commitment to the reform process was
visible through the support from the president.
Tangible impacts: Mexico began establishing WUAs
in 1990. By 1997 the transfer had resulted in 400
operational WUAs of an average size of 7,600 ha.
Following the transfer, there was a steady pace of
better maintenance in the majority of the irrigation
districts. Most irrigation systems are operated and
maintained by WUAs or by farmers themselves and
government subsidy has dropped to only 15 per
cent of the operation and maintenance costs. Now,
more than 90 per cent of farmers pay their irrigation
assessment charges.

9 www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigation_in_Mexico (Accessed
17February 2009).

Chile: national level: a continuous interaction

between growth strategies and water issues10
Issues: The strategy of exporting products for which
Chile has a comparative advantage has led to a
boom in the export of goods that use water in
their production process. A sharp increase in water
demand has followed, often in water-poor basins.
This has resulted in competition for water in many
areas. Export needs are now competing with incountry needs for drinking water and farming for
the domestic market. And water is rising in value.
IWRM Actions: Improvements in water-use efficiency
have been considerable especially in areas linked to
exports. In wine production for instance, sophisticated water management systems are now in place.
During the 1980s, Chiles policies on water resources
were guided by the same market-oriented principles
as were used to reform the countrys economy.
Market forces have played a major role in ensuring
that water is allocated to the highest value uses
demonstrating that water is considered to be an
economic good. Increased private-sector investment
in sanitation has been encouraged by Chiles focus
on maintaining its macro-economic equilibrium,
coupled with the many safeguards that were put in
place to protect foreign capital. This has boosted the
development of the sewerage sector as well as the
water supply sector.
Tangible impacts: Chile has managed to support
growth in water-demanding industries and sectors
and achieved high growth in exports. Water is
allocated to high-value uses partly based on market
mechanisms. By 2010, almost all the countrys
sewage is expected to be treated.

Fergana Valley: international level: improving

water accessibility through IWRM11
Issues: The Fergana Valley was once the most fertile
valley in Central Asia. With approximately ten
million inhabitants, it is now subject to high levels
of soil salinization and the crops grown there are
no longer sufficient to feed the population. State
boundaries between Uzbekistan, Kyrgistan and
Tajikistan make transboundary management problematic and cause constant internal and interstate
disputes. More than 60 per cent of the inhabitants
do not have access to safe drinking water or basic
sanitation, which causes widespread water-borne
diseases in the rural areas. Irrigation infrastructure is
inadequate and water use is inefficient.
IWRM Actions: Improved management of water
resources based on IWRM principles was initiated,
10 Sandy Williams and Sarah Carriger, Global Water Partnership
Technical Committee (TEC). 2006. Policy Brief 2 Water and
Sustainable Development: Lessons from Chile. www.gwpforum.org/
gwp/library/Policybrief2Chile.pdf (Accessed 17 February 2009).
11 The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and
the Scientific Information Center of the Interstate Commission
for Water Coordination (SIC-ICWC). Integrated Water resources
Management in Fergana Valley. http://iwrm.icwc-aral.uz/index_
en.htm (Accessed 17 February 2009).

DHI Water Policy and UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment

17

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Action

emphasizing higher efficiency and more equity.
IWRM capacity building within the river basin
management area was put into practice, involving river commissions, provinces, municipalities,
companies and WUAs. The effectiveness of bottomup approaches was demonstrated and methods to
enhance water use efficiency were put in place. The
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
(SDC) assisted the Interstate Commission for Water
Coordination of Central Asia (ICWC) in the implementation of IWRM principles.
Tangible impacts: Partnership between all the water
management actors across the Fergana Valley was
achieved. Safe drinking water was provided to
twenty-eight villages with a total population of

18

80,000 people and 320 ecological sanitation toilets

were constructed on a cost-sharing basis. Waterborne diseases have decreased by more than 60
per cent on average and infant mortality has been
almost eradicated in all villages, despite prevailing
poverty. Twenty-eight Water Committees have been
created to operate and maintain the water systems
efficiently and more than 30 per cent of those
involved in the village committees are women. Crop
yields and water productivity increased by as much
as 30 per cent. Expanded and improved irrigation
practices were implemented using innovative solutions for the management of the irrigation canals.
There is now sustainable financing at canal, wateruser association, and farm levels.

THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD WATER ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME: SIDE PUBLICATIONS SERIES

World Water Assessment Programme side publications,

March 2009
During the consultation process for the third edition of the World Water Development Report, a general
consensus emerged as to the need to make the forthcoming report more concise, while highlighting
major future challenges associated with water availability in terms of quantity and quality.
This series of side publications has been developed to ensure that all issues and debates that might
not benefit from sufficient coverage within the report would find space for publication.
The 17 side publications released on the occasion of the World Water Forum in Istanbul in March, 2009,
in conjunction with World Water Development Report 3: Water in a Changing World, represent the first
of what will become an ongoing series of scientific papers, insight reports and dialogue papers that
will continue to provide more in-depth or focused information on waterrelated topics and issues.

Insights
IWRM Implementation in Basins, Sub-Basins and Aquifers: State of the Art Review
by Keith Kennedy, Slobodan Simonovic, Alberto Tejada-Guibert, Miguel de Frana Doria and Jos Luis Martin for UNESCO-IHP
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Water Management
by Ruth Vollmer, Reza Ardakanian, Matt Hare, Jan Leentvaar, Charlotte van der Schaaf and Lars Wirkus for UNW-DPC
Global Trends in Water-Related Disasters: An Insight for Policymakers
by Yoganath Adikari and Junichi Yoshitani at the Public Works Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan, for the International Center for
Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), under the auspices of UNESCO.
Inland Waterborne Transport: Connecting Countries
by Sobhanlal Bonnerjee, Anne Cann,Harald Koethe, David Lammie, Geerinck Lieven, Jasna Muskatirovic, Benjamin Ndala, Gernot
Pauli and Ian White for PIANC/ICIWaRM
Building a 2nd Generation of New World Water Scenarios
by Joseph Alcamo and Gilberto Gallopin
Seeing Traditional Technologies in a New Light: Using Traditional Approaches for Water Management in Drylands
by Harriet Bigas, Zafar Adeel and Brigitte Schuster (eds), for the United Nations University International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)

Dialogue Series
Water Adaptation in National Adaptation Programmes for Action Freshwater in Climate Adaptation Planning and Climate
Adaptation in Freshwater Planning
by Gunilla Bjrklund, Hkan Tropp, Joakim Harlin, Alastair Morrison and Andrew Hudson for UNDP
Integrated Water Resources Management in Action
by Jan Hassing, Niels Ipsen, Torkil-Jnch Clausen, Henrik Larsen and Palle Lindgaard-Jrgensen for DHI Water Policy and the UNEPDHI Centre for Water and Environment
Confronting the Challenges of Climate Variability and Change through an Integrated Strategy for the Sustainable Management of the La Plata River Basin
by Enrique Bello, Jorge Rucks and Cletus Springer for the Department of Sustainable Development, Organization of American States
Water and Climate Change: Citizen Mobilization, a Source of Solutions
by Marie-Jolle Fluet, International Secretariat for Water; Luc Vescovi, Ouranos, and Amadou Idrissa Bokoye, Environment Canada
Updating the International Water Events Database
by Lucia De Stefano, Lynette de Silva, Paris Edwards and Aaron T. Wolf, Program for Water Conflict Management and Transformation, Oregon State University, for UNESCO PCCP
Water Security and Ecosystems: The Critical Connection
by Thomas Chiramba and Tim Kasten for UNEP

Scientific Papers
Climate Changes, Water Security and Possible Remedies for the Middle East
by Jon Martin Trondalen for UNESCO PCCP
A Multi-Model Experiment to Assess and Cope with Climate Change Impacts on the Chteauguay Watershed in Southern
Quebec
by Luc Vescovi, Ouranos; Ralf Ludwig, Department of Geography, University of Munich; Jean-Franois Cyr, Richard Turcotte and LouisGuillaume Fortin, Centre dExpertise Hydrique du Qubec; Diane Chaumont, Ouranos; Marco Braun and Wolfram Mauser, Department
of Geography, University of Munich
Water and Climate Change in Quebec
by Luc Vescovi, Ouranos; Pierre Baril, Ministry of Transport, Qubec; Claude Desjarlais ; Andr Musy; and Ren Roy, Hydro-Qubec.
All authors are members of the Ouranos Consortium
Investing in Information, Knowledge and Monitoring
by Jim Winpenny for the WWAP Secretariat
Water Footprint Analysis (Hydrologic and Economic) of the Guadania River Basin
by Maite Martinez Aldaya, Twente Water Centre, University of Twente and Manuel Ramon Llamas, Department of Geodynamics,
Complutense University of Madrid, Spain

Governance for Sustainable Development

In a world where limited resources are increasingly
stressed, good water governance is more crucial than
ever for sustainable development. Ecosystems are under
threat, health risks are growing as a consequence of
decreasing water quality, and climate changes add to
threats to the sustainability of the world's water
resources and thus also to the livelihoods of our
increasing populations.
DHI Water Policy, a member of the DHI Group, is
assisting governments and institutions to address these
problems through improved governance and Integrated
Water Resources and Coastal Zone Management. This
assistance is often rendered in a partnership
arrangement and covers areas such as diagnostic water
resources assessments and institutional analyses, policy
dialogues and formulation, legislation, and overall sector
reforms. Facilitation of stakeholder involvement is a key
component in all these processes.
The UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment is a
centre of expertise of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP). The centre supports UNEP in the
implementation of its Water Policy and Strategy. It is
hosted by DHI and located at its headquarters in
Hrsholm, Denmark

www.unesco.org/publishing
United Nations

 
 

Cultural Organization