Sustainable Water Sustainable Water Management in Small Management in Small

Island CountriesIsland Countries

Theme 3 AwarenessTheme 3 Awareness

political will, advocacy, political will, advocacy,

community participation, gender community participation, gender

equityequity

environmental understandingenvironmental understanding

Everyone is a water managerEveryone is a water manager

Our attitudes, beliefs, habits, customs, decisions Our attitudes, beliefs, habits, customs, decisions

and behaviour have an impact on the local watershed. and behaviour have an impact on the local watershed.

For example, as Conference attendees, tourists: For example, as Conference attendees, tourists:

How much water am I using in this resort? How much water am I using in this resort? Where is the coming from? Is it affecting the local Where is the coming from? Is it affecting the local

community? community? Where is my waste water going? What detergents and Where is my waste water going? What detergents and

other chemicals are used? other chemicals are used? Is the coral dead partly because of effluent from the Is the coral dead partly because of effluent from the

resorts?resorts? If the fringing reef is damaged what impact does that If the fringing reef is damaged what impact does that

have on livelihood and coastal protection?have on livelihood and coastal protection?

Who are the other water Who are the other water managers affecting this managers affecting this

catchment?catchment?

Local householdersLocal householders Farmers, loggers, factory ownersFarmers, loggers, factory owners Water Utility and Lands Department personnelWater Utility and Lands Department personnel Politicians who decide on budgets, programs, Politicians who decide on budgets, programs,

and approve developmentand approve development NGOs who advocate for the voiceless, and NGOs who advocate for the voiceless, and

work within the communitywork within the community Regional organisations providing technical Regional organisations providing technical

assistanceassistance

and supporting researchand supporting research Donors who provide funding for programsDonors who provide funding for programs

How to achieve sustainable How to achieve sustainable water management?water management?

By understanding the attitudes, By understanding the attitudes, beliefs beliefs and vested interests of and vested interests of all water managersall water managers Creating dialogue that results inCreating dialogue that results inmotivation to change behaviour motivation to change behaviour where necessarywhere necessary Action requires multi - dimensionalAction requires multi - dimensionalapproach to achieve changed approach to achieve changed behaviour and attitudesbehaviour and attitudes

How to achieve sustainable How to achieve sustainable water management?water management?

MOBILISATIONMOBILISATIONTo bring together all feasible sector allies to To bring together all feasible sector allies to create demand for beneficial program or create demand for beneficial program or behaviour and assist with delivery of servicesbehaviour and assist with delivery of services

PROGRAM COMMUNICATIONPROGRAM COMMUNICATIONTargeting specific audiences and groups with Targeting specific audiences and groups with messages and training. Using traditional messages and training. Using traditional protocol, and non traditional inter-personal and protocol, and non traditional inter-personal and mass media channelsmass media channels

ADVOCACYADVOCACYProviding a voice, or facilitating the voiceless. Providing a voice, or facilitating the voiceless. Examining who is making decision and how? Examining who is making decision and how? What is decided? How is it implemented?, Who What is decided? How is it implemented?, Who benefits?, Who is disadvantaged?benefits?, Who is disadvantaged?

Equal Expenditure on Equal Expenditure on Behaviour ChangeBehaviour Change

Need for equal expenditure on behaviour Need for equal expenditure on behaviour change, how water is used and valued change, how water is used and valued

There has been concentration on There has been concentration on technical solutions. ‘Coverage’ does not technical solutions. ‘Coverage’ does not always achieve public health, relieve always achieve public health, relieve poverty, or protect natural assetspoverty, or protect natural assets

Coverage must be supported by Coverage must be supported by behaviour changebehaviour change

Toilet systems are built but may not being used or Toilet systems are built but may not being used or maintained, or they are vandalisedmaintained, or they are vandalised

Piped water is wasted, leaks not reported. People Piped water is wasted, leaks not reported. People object to paying billsobject to paying bills

Rainwater tanks have been provided but gutters Rainwater tanks have been provided but gutters and downpipes are not maintained and downpipes are not maintained

Private wells not coveredPrivate wells not covered

Disease paths not understood. Hygiene not Disease paths not understood. Hygiene not practisedpractised

Outcome: High incidence of water borne disease,Outcome: High incidence of water borne disease, and diarrhoea in children under 5 in the Regionand diarrhoea in children under 5 in the Region

Behaviour change requires Behaviour change requires

time and moneytime and money

Takes time, patience, money, skill, Takes time, patience, money, skill,

Culturally complex, touches on Culturally complex, touches on

taboos and personal habits/hygiene,taboos and personal habits/hygiene, Not as prestigious as infrastructureNot as prestigious as infrastructure

Outcomes are not obvious or Outcomes are not obvious or

immediateimmediate

Behaviour change requires Behaviour change requires dialoguedialogue

Receiving information does not Receiving information does not always lead to behaviour always lead to behaviour change, even if message is change, even if message is entertainingentertaining

Health and environment Health and environment messages are often one way messages are often one way mass media, no space to mass media, no space to identify own concernsidentify own concerns

How do people learn and How do people learn and remember?remember?

20% of the information they hear20% of the information they hear

30% of the information they see30% of the information they see

50% of the information they hear and 50% of the information they hear and seesee

70% of the information that they hear, 70% of the information that they hear, see, and talk aboutsee, and talk about

90% of what they hear, see, talk 90% of what they hear, see, talk about, about, and do and do

(SPACHEE/Ecowoman 2000)(SPACHEE/Ecowoman 2000)

Behaviour Change requires Behaviour Change requires opportunityopportunity

Insufficient resources for Government Insufficient resources for Government employees to use training. Can contribute to employees to use training. Can contribute to ‘braindrain’‘braindrain’

Women may not have time or fuel to boil Women may not have time or fuel to boil waterwater

No safe waste disposal option availableNo safe waste disposal option available

Even if attitudes change, capacity and Even if attitudes change, capacity and opportunity is required for behaviour opportunity is required for behaviour change. Need time, flexibility, and change. Need time, flexibility, and viable alternatives clearly demonstratedviable alternatives clearly demonstrated

Behaviour change is not logicalBehaviour change is not logical

Habits such as sanitation practices are learnt at a Habits such as sanitation practices are learnt at a very early agevery early age

Not everyone believes the germ theoryNot everyone believes the germ theory People may continue certain behaviour even if People may continue certain behaviour even if

they know it is not good for themthey know it is not good for them Not everyone wants to be consulted. Some people Not everyone wants to be consulted. Some people

just want someone else to show the way. just want someone else to show the way. Visionary leadership is also requiredVisionary leadership is also required

Mobilisation: stakeholder Mobilisation: stakeholder participationparticipation

WHY? Programs which have not WHY? Programs which have not allowed stakeholders to be involved in allowed stakeholders to be involved in decision making and management decision making and management have usually failed.have usually failed.

To promote user ownership of services, To promote user ownership of services, decisions should be taken at a level as decisions should be taken at a level as close as possible to the source of the close as possible to the source of the problem, in consultation with the problem, in consultation with the people most directly affectedpeople most directly affected

Stakeholder responsibilityStakeholder responsibility

80-90% of PIC population use on-site 80-90% of PIC population use on-site water and sanitation facilities but water and sanitation facilities but have limited access to capacity have limited access to capacity building to encourage responsibilitybuilding to encourage responsibility

If centralised services are desired the If centralised services are desired the Community needs to understand the Community needs to understand the cost of centralised services and cost of centralised services and accept ownershipaccept ownership

Stakeholders need to share Stakeholders need to share informationinformation

Responsible stakeholder involvement Responsible stakeholder involvement requires comprehensive information requires comprehensive information exchange and co-ordinationexchange and co-ordination

Limited communication within departments, Limited communication within departments, between government agencies, and between between government agencies, and between NGOs, donors and regional organisationsNGOs, donors and regional organisations

Sector roles not clearly definedSector roles not clearly defined

Stakeholder equityStakeholder equity

Do water sector policies and programs Do water sector policies and programs recognise differences in womens and recognise differences in womens and mens needs, priorities, and access to mens needs, priorities, and access to resources?resources?

What negative and positive effects do What negative and positive effects do policies have on women and men? eg policies have on women and men? eg downsizing water utilities?downsizing water utilities?

Are the youth involved in decision Are the youth involved in decision making about the long term future of making about the long term future of their health and water resources?their health and water resources?

Stakeholder involvement can allow Stakeholder involvement can allow government and community government and community

partnershippartnership

Government has limited purse so Government has limited purse so needs partnership with community, needs partnership with community, private sector and other stakeholdersprivate sector and other stakeholders

Government also has limited power Government also has limited power to make decisions regarding the to make decisions regarding the control of water resources, or to control of water resources, or to enforce regulationsenforce regulations

Empowerment could replace Empowerment could replace conflictconflict

Land is customary owned so centralised Land is customary owned so centralised facilities such as water reserves, facilities such as water reserves, sewage treatment plants, require sewage treatment plants, require ongoing community agreement ongoing community agreement

To avoid conflict communities could To avoid conflict communities could retain ownership of facilities. Could also retain ownership of facilities. Could also be income generatingbe income generating

Self regulation could replace Self regulation could replace weak enforcementweak enforcement

Communities are related or familiar, Communities are related or familiar, so enforcement is awkward. so enforcement is awkward. Interference in private domain is not Interference in private domain is not welcomed. Direct confrontation is welcomed. Direct confrontation is uncommon uncommon

Therefore well trained self-Therefore well trained self-management and self-regulation is management and self-regulation is most feasiblemost feasible

What is being done?What is being done?

Improved information exchange and Improved information exchange and consultation at all levelsconsultation at all levels

Attention to household-centered Attention to household-centered water and sanitation systems in water and sanitation systems in some programssome programs

Improved customer/utility relations Improved customer/utility relations

and demand management through and demand management through institutional strengthening institutional strengthening

Integrated catchment protectionIntegrated catchment protection

Village Mobilisation - Waste Village Mobilisation - Waste Management (Tonga)Management (Tonga)

Capacity building of “message carrier”Capacity building of “message carrier”

Mobilising village resources for waste Mobilising village resources for waste minimisation and catchment protectionminimisation and catchment protection

Gender dynamics in conservationGender dynamics in conservation

Civic pride motivates conservationCivic pride motivates conservation

Local fund raising and commitment to Local fund raising and commitment to sustain the program (not dependent on sustain the program (not dependent on external funds)external funds)

Waibulabula/Coral Gardens. FijiWaibulabula/Coral Gardens. Fiji

Partnership between private sector (resort) Partnership between private sector (resort) and community (8 villages), University of and community (8 villages), University of South Pacific, Government, NGOs to protect South Pacific, Government, NGOs to protect livelihood and marine and fresh waterlivelihood and marine and fresh water

Development of eco-friendly sanitation Development of eco-friendly sanitation system with the potential for village usesystem with the potential for village use

Operating through traditional protocol, Operating through traditional protocol, decision making and consultation processdecision making and consultation process

Gender specific consultation processGender specific consultation process

Community participation in Community participation in groundwater research and groundwater research and

protectionprotection

Groundwater research involving Tongan Groundwater research involving Tongan Government, students, teachers, householders Government, students, teachers, householders and supported by Regional Organisationsand supported by Regional Organisations

Research designed and conducted by personnel Research designed and conducted by personnel from Health, Lands, and Water Boardfrom Health, Lands, and Water Board

Increased understanding of use of private wells, Increased understanding of use of private wells, raintanks, piped water raintanks, piped water

Water Utility supports trial of non - polluting dry Water Utility supports trial of non - polluting dry sanitation systemsanitation system

Technology transfer of sanitation system Technology transfer of sanitation system through Government and Community co-through Government and Community co-operationoperation

Community Development and Community Development and Participation Initiatives (CDPI)Participation Initiatives (CDPI)

ADB project in Tarawa in Kiribati which aims to ADB project in Tarawa in Kiribati which aims to involve community in long term ownership of involve community in long term ownership of public water supply and sewage treatment public water supply and sewage treatment systemssystems

Suggested initiativesSuggested initiatives

Donors examine ways to sustain longer Donors examine ways to sustain longer term funding to allow behaviour term funding to allow behaviour change, perhaps by serial funding. change, perhaps by serial funding. Maintain ongoing local workers for Maintain ongoing local workers for extended periodextended period

Centralised information exchange: Centralised information exchange: research process and outcomes, bi-research process and outcomes, bi-lateral aid project reports, NGO and lateral aid project reports, NGO and CBO activities , government agenda, CBO activities , government agenda, planned programsplanned programs

Suggested initiativesSuggested initiatives

Mobile training program for householders and Mobile training program for householders and tradespeople in selecting, siting, building and tradespeople in selecting, siting, building and maintaining septic tanks, pits,maintaining septic tanks, pits,

composting toilets, rainwater tanks, wells etc composting toilets, rainwater tanks, wells etc

Promotion of local e-mail service using Promotion of local e-mail service using shortwave radio, a low-end computer, and shortwave radio, a low-end computer, and solar energy. Can be used for disaster solar energy. Can be used for disaster mitigation, access to regional database, mitigation, access to regional database, advertising eco-business. ‘People First advertising eco-business. ‘People First Network’ in the SolomonsNetwork’ in the Solomons

Integrated Eco-HomeIntegrated Eco-Home

Suggested initiativesSuggested initiatives

Sanitation Park: Demonstration of Sanitation Park: Demonstration of sanitation systems (including sanitation systems (including cost)which allows villages to select cost)which allows villages to select system most appropriate to their system most appropriate to their needs. Assisted withneeds. Assisted with

constructionconstruction Integrated Eco-Home: including all the Integrated Eco-Home: including all the

inputs and outputs of a domestic inputs and outputs of a domestic compound. Zero dischargecompound. Zero discharge

Suggested initiativesSuggested initiatives

Develop and adopt National Develop and adopt National participatory frameworks that allow participatory frameworks that allow effective participation by civil society effective participation by civil society in water and sanitation management in water and sanitation management

Adopt mechanisms to achieve gender Adopt mechanisms to achieve gender equity at all stages of program design equity at all stages of program design and implementationand implementation