Increasing Access to Clean Water: Four Elements of Integrated Water Resources Management as Observed in Two Angolan Water Projects

Presenter: Julia Stafford (Political Science, History)

Mentor: Ron Mitchell

Facilitator: Sheri Donahoe

By what means can we effectively deliver a bigger quantity of safe, clean water to more people? Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is the dominant framework, calling for the integration of every scale of stakeholder power to achieve increased clean water access. Participatory decision making, capacity building, public‐private partnerships, and valuation are four elements of IWRM that contribute to an effective water management project. Participatory mechanisms increase clean water access by incorporating the principle of subsidiarity. Capacity building creates sustainability by strengthening local resources that would otherwise restrict the expansion of clean water access. Public‐private partnerships alleviate pressure on public institutions which may be incapable of water management independently. Valuation increases the economic viability of water projects. In an evaluation of two IWRM projects in Angola, participatory mechanisms and capacity building are most prominent. In addition, each project reflects the mission of their supporting organization: a social focus for the United Nations Development Programme and an economic one for the World Bank. The United Nations’ project in Angola is more effective in increasing clean water access, validating their human rights and community‐ based project structure.