Recent years have also seen a growing interest in anti-cor-
been too ambitious for governments that lack the necessary
ruption and ‘good’ governance. A number of factors make the
financial resources and institutional capacity to successfully
water sector vulnerable to corruption. For example, decision-
carry them out. Many other factors can undermine reforms and
making authority for water is often dispersed across political
their implementation. Local ownership of the reform process
and administrative boundaries and agencies, which creates
and content is critical, but sometimes the agenda for reforms
many loopholes to exploit. In many places, a monopoly on
is dominated by the specific interests of donors. Clientelism is
water services exists that involves a large flow of public funds
a common issue that can make decision-making discretion-
and adds to the risk of corrupt practices. Large water projects
ary and allow personal motivations of individual politicians to
are also capital-intensive and complex, which makes procure-
dominate. Low levels of organization within civil society are
ment lucrative, manipulation difficult to detect, and corruption
another common cause of weak stakeholder engagement in
more likely to occur.
the reform process. Politics can also slow, skew or stall these processes, as government departments and individuals try to
Corrupt practices are common in water investments and oper-
prevent or impede actions that are seen to threaten their own
ations, including those involving bore-well site location, water
power and authority.
transfers and irrigation schemes, tendering and procurement processes, and billing of water services, such as rigged water
Why assess water governance?
meters. Although the detrimental effects of corruption are well
Current interest in water governance and approaches such
known, in most places there is a lack of political will to openly
as integrated water resources management place further de-
discuss the problem in both the public and private sectors and
mands on monitoring and assessment tools since they involve
at all levels. This is slowly changing among some governments
a shift from only monitoring hydrological data to monitoring
and donors internationally, and new actors, such as the Water
data related to policy processes. Yet data collection and as-
Integrity Network, have emerged to raise awareness and pro-
sessment and monitoring systems are areas that are neglected
mote corruption-risk diagnosis and anti-corruption measures.
or underdeveloped by many governments. To meet these demands, different methodologies for assessing and monitor-
Recognition is growing that accountability must be part of
ing water governance and management have emerged. A
the relationship among policy makers, service providers and
number of questions need to be considered in an evaluation,
clients. As a result, increased emphasis has been placed on
such as: Have policy changes and applied management instru-
strengthening the ability of citizens, civil society organizations
ments improved management of water resources? Do more
and other non-state actors to hold local governments account-
people have access to sustainable water services? Do women
able for their commitments to improve service delivery and
and other marginalized groups have a voice in water decision-
make them more responsive to citizens’ needs. It is crucial to
making? A good example of this type of monitoring initiative
build capacity in local governments to not only deliver services
is the 2012 Status Report on the Application of Integrated Water
effectively but to also enhance their ability to engage citizens
Resources Management, a UN publication that was based on a
by fostering dialogue and participation.
global survey sent to all UN member countries to determine progress on sustainable management of water resources using
– One of the experts interviewed for this User’s Guide
integrated approaches. From the practitioner’s point of view, assessment is a first step to trigger changes that are needed to improve sector performance by showing where interventions would have the most impact. How an assessment can contribute to making change happen will differ depending on the specific objective and
Despite ongoing reforms, many countries are struggling to implement policies on the ground. In some places, reforms have
design of the assessment.
User’s Guide on Assessing Water Governance
Water governance is not only the water sector; it depends on the whole country. Accountability, integrity and participation are needed at all levels of the political and public process. If these aspects are lacking, it becomes very difficult for policy experts to implement policy documents.
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