Water resources management and

participation – best practice in the

UK and Australia

Aaron Burton

WRM Scientific Network 1-2 June 2010

IDS, Sussex University, Brighton

Outline

Pressures on water resources

Sustainable development and water resources management – linking with participation

UK ExamplesRegulatory and WRM reform

Analysis of current regulation

Australian Examples

Conclusions

Proposed questions

Pressures on water resources –

Western Australia

Pressures on Water Resources - England and Wales

Demand scenarios – England and Wales

Demand Scenarios – Western Australia

Carbon mitigation

Water Resources Strategy for England and

Wales

Enough water for people and the environment: “Management and use of

water that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable,

providing the right amount of water for people, agriculture, commerce and

industry, and an improved water-related environment”

Where does participation fit?

Participation

Definition – devolved or distributed governance, stakeholder consultation, forums, in the market, social licence

Where does it fit?

Abstraction management

Water resources planning

Retail – consumers

All of the above?

the act of taking part in an activity or event

UK EXAMPLES

Water resources management and participation – best practice in the UK and Australia

Water Resources Management – Regulatory

Reform

Future Water and WAG SPPS on Water

Cave ReviewReform abstraction, upstream and retail competition for water,

need to agree priorities – stakeholders; water quality trading and

standards (local sustainability – reduce emissions)

Walker ReviewRecommendation 65 – public involvement in future issues affecting

bills, particularly proposals for quality improvements

ProcessesWRMP – public consultation, WTP, SEA issues

PR09 – WTP

A low carbon water industry 2050

Governance architectures

Policy Areas Objectives State Market

Based

Governance Behaviour

change

Supply

Water abstraction

management

Improved allocation

to optimise social,

environmental and

economic benefits

Reduce abstraction

to sustainable levels

Maintain

sustainable levels of

abstraction and

security of public

water supplies

•Licensing

system and

CAMS

•Restoring

sustainable

abstraction

(RSA)

programme

– s51

voluntary,

s52 revoke

•Limited

licence

trading

•Abstractor groups

Public water

supply and water

industry structures

Reducing costs to

customers

Innovation and

environmental

performance/

funding

Low carbon water

industry

•Combined

water and

sewerage

licence for

undertakers

•Comparativ

e

competition

and price

review

process

•Competition

for the

market

•Statutory Water

Resource

Management

Plans with public

consultation

Water customers Reducing costs to

customers

Increasing levels of

service

•Combined

water and

sewerage

licence for

undertakers

•Consulted in

willingness to pay

and other studies

Stakeholder

inclusion within

WFD

•Consumer

advice and

representation

(CCWater)

Demand

Water

efficiency

Reduce demand and

therefore abstraction

from the environment

Reduce carbon

emissions from supply,

use and disposal

•Water Supply (Water

Fittings) Regulations

•Building Regulations

•Planning standards

(CSH, etc.)

•Ofwat targets on

water companies

•ECA tax incentives

•Small scale

projects and

tariff trials

Leakage

Management

Reduce demand and

therefore abstraction

from the environment

•Ofwat targets on

water companies

•Pressure

from media/

public

perception

Water Quality

Point source

pollution

Reduce pollution from

point sources in a cost

effective manner

River basin planning

Environmental quality

improvements

Low carbon treatment

methods

•Environmental permits

(site activities,

discharges etc.)

•Operator Self

Monitoring

•Stakeholder

inclusion within

WFD and some

catchment scale

decision making

•OPRA,

Account

Managemen

t

Diffuse source

pollution

River basin planning

Environmental quality

improvements

[WR Act 1991 - Water

Protection Zones; Anti-

pollution Works Notices]

[Groundwater

regulations 2009 –

notices]

Plant protection

products regulations,

Groundwater

regulations

Nitrate Vulnerable

Zones

CAP- Nitrates

•Subsidy based

compliance

(CAP, Farm based

grant scheme)

•Code of practice for

using

•Plan Protection

products

•Organic farming

scheme and organic

environmental

stewardship

Stakeholder

inclusion within

WFD and some

catchment scale

decision making

Land management

schemes

Pesticides forum

Pesticides voluntary

initiative

Influencing the

planning process

and LDPs

Policy Areas Objectives State Market Based Governance Behaviour change

AUSTRALIAN EXAMPLES

Water resources management and participation – best practice in the UK and Australia

Australian Case Studies

National Water Initiative – Reform measures

Addressing transboundary issues

NRM – distributed governance and links to US models

CSIRO Work

Water benefits accounting

Climate change

South West Yarragadee SA

Permanent water efficiency measures

Conclusions

Pressures on water resources require more innovative and effective management regimes

Participation is part of all management activities – gaps exist in both the UK and Australia frameworks

Regulatory reform is fast paced

Opportunity to engage water users and achieve local sustainable solutions

Questions

What is the best stage (or stages) within the policy cycle for participation to enable a more distributed governance and partnership approach to managing water resources?

How effective is participation through consultation compared to broader governance arrangements for sustainable water resources management?

What are the gaps and opportunities for participation and improved governance approaches within water resources management in the UK and Australia?

Upstream Network Retail

Thank you – Questions?