Every drop should count in Iran not only due to the unequal distribution of water resources but also because of uncertainties about precipitation, and the tough challenge can be tackled through the governance of available water resources, the energy minister said.
“Old strategies like increasing supply have failed to address the acute water paucity. Therefore, fundamental changes, with special focus on water governance, modification of managerial structures and demand management, are necessary,” Ali Akbar Mehrabian was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The water sector is part of broader social, political and economic developments and affected by decisions of actors outside the water sector, that’s why pursuing sound water governance policies is of great importance, he added.
Water governance refers to the political, social, economic and administrative systems in place that influence water consumption and management. This essentially includes who gets what water, when and how, and who has the right to water and related services, and their benefits.
It determines the equity and efficiency in water resource and services allocation and distribution, and balances water use between socioeconomic activities and ecosystems.
Governing water includes the formulation, establishment and implementation of water policies, legislation and institutions, and clarification of the roles and responsibilities of government, civil society and the private sector in relation to water resources and services. The outcomes depend on how the stakeholders act in relation to the rules adopted and roles assigned to them.
Effective Water Governance
Effective water governance is essential to achieve water security, fairly allocate water resources and avoid disputes.
Access to water is a matter of survival and can, in many cases, help break the circle of poverty. Improving water governance is, therefore, essential to alleviating economic problems.
Inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation is a significant threat to public health, making it a major obstacle to sustainable social and economic development.
Poor resource management, corruption, inappropriate institutional arrangements, bureaucratic inertia and lack of investment funds undermine the effective governance of water.
The allocation of water is often determined by factors and actors outside of what is traditionally defined as the water sector. Agriculture, trade, energy and environmental and industrialization policies all affect water allocation, but none of these is generally within the control of the water sector. This makes good water governance particularly challenging.
Clear Roles, Responsibilities
The answer to such challenges is to establish clear roles and responsibilities for governments, civil society and the private sector in relation to water resources. Each actor has an important part to play and water governance is about creating the foundation for them to do just that.
According to Mehrabian, Iran faces a worsening water crisis and getting familiar with and employing new water management systems with the help of knowledge-based companies and startups should gain traction.
Iranian academics are urging authorities and farmers to employ nanotechnology for modernizing the agricultural sector and curbing water use.
“Nanotech water treatment systems can store and purify surface water and lower the evaporation rate, creating a reliable source for irrigation,” he added.
Water use has been increasing worldwide by about 1% per year since the 1980s. Growing populations, more water-intensive patterns of growth, increasing rainfall variability and pollution are combining in many places to put even more pressure on water availability and quality, threatening sustainable development, ecosystems and biodiversity worldwide.
Global water demand is expected to continue to increase at a similar rate until 2050, accounting for an increase of 20-30% above the current level of water use, mainly due to rising demand in the industrial and domestic sectors, according to the World Water Development Report 2019.
World Water Day
Referring to the World Water Day Conference held on March 22 in Rome, Mehrabian noted that the event was aimed at highlighting the fact that 2 billion persons are currently living without access to safe water.
This year’s theme was “Groundwater – making the invisible visible”.
Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical. Nations need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource.
According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, water can be a source of conflict but also of cooperation. It is essential that we work together to provide better stewardship of all water sources, including the world’s supply of groundwater.
“Groundwater is out of sight, but we cannot afford for it to be out of mind. Stored in rocks and soil, groundwater is our biggest source of liquid freshwater. It sustains drinking water supplies, sanitation systems, farming, industry and ecosystems, yet some 20% of the world’s aquifers are being overexploited,” he said.
“In many places, we simply do not know how much of this precious resource might exist. We need to improve our exploration, monitoring and analysis of groundwater resources to protect and better manage them and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
