Gearey, M., & Jeffrey, P. (2005) Finding 1

Use audience assessment strategies to identify which, if any, water and watershed governance strategies interest households and landowners. Build participatory opportunities around specific topics of interest. Consider household and landowner response to strategies such as: pollution control, lowering prices, protecting flood plains, improving storage facilities, improving repairs and maintenance and introducing enforced metering. Continue reading →

Ballard, D. (2005) Finding 1

A model of the change process required for sustainability, involves 3 conditions: (1) Awareness of the agenda, scale, urgency and structure of the issues, (2) Identifying effective roles for individuals or groups, where meaningful activities can be undertaken in parallel to raising awareness, (3) Association or cooperation with others to mobilize towards empowerment. Continue reading →

Dalgleish, F., & Cooper, B. J. (2005) Finding 1

Encourage water utilities to adopt a risk management strategy and to identify strategic risks, such as risks to a safe, acceptable, and reliable water supply.  Risks for this category, for example, can include failure to meet requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act; inappropriate catchment management; and failure to plan for growth and changes in demand.  [NOTE: Finding based on one case study.]

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Dakins, M. E., Long, J. D., & Hart, M. (2005) Finding 2

How a watershed group is formed may influence its effectiveness.

  • Citizen initiated groups give themselves a high rating on addressing difficult or controversial issues.
  • Government initiated groups give themselves a high rating on receiving assistance during formation.
  • Groups whose membership has been restricted in some way (e.g. property owners only, instead of all interested parties), give themselves a low rating on involving key decision-making groups, timeliness in addressing issues, and overall effectiveness.

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