Water and Innovation

Climate change and water security are pressing global issues. Although international frameworks for both were developed separately, they share global significance and local transboundary surface and aquifer level impact. A new approach to international climate change law and international water law is needed to recognize the synergies between climate change and water governance at both global and basin levels. This article examines these links by analysing the perspectives of both legal regimes and basin water agreements, making several proposals to enhance synergies between both fields, which are tested in two case studies: the Nile River Basin and the Guarani Aquifer.

Next to issues of land, water resources are the major bone of contention in the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Per capita annual renewable freshwater resources in the region are among the lowest in the world. This paper will attempt to identify an appropriate framework for management of shared aquifers underlying Israel and West Bank that comprise hydrological, legal, institutional, and socioeconomic and environmental issues. The article calls for the application of international water law in the resolution of water disputes in the negotiating process. The challenging task for negotiators is to translate water law principles into operating rules and procedures for the equitable apportionment of waters from shared water resources. The paper introduces a multi-criteria decision tool as a possible approach to the problem of allocating the waters of the Mountain Aquifer between all riparian parties. A general mathematical model was derived in which the proportional entitlements of the Mountain Aquifer were determined. The model yields the following results (40%, 60%) where 40% represents the Israeli and 60% the Palestinian entitlements.

in any form or by any means except with the written permission of CSIRO and UNE. 9 3. Other CSIRO Smart Farming Initiatives 13 3.1 Queensland Digital Homestead project 13 3.2 Tasmanian Sense-T program 13 4. Drivers and Barriers for Changes 15 4.1 Drivers for Change 15 4.2 Barriers to Adoption 16 5. Realising the Benefits 17 5.1 On-farm benefits 17 5.2 Broader economic opportunities 17 5.3 Agribusiness Service Sector 18 5.4 Environmental Management 18 5.5 Broader Social Benefits 18 Appendix A Details about the Kirby Farm 19 Appendix B Technologies for on-farm needs 20 Appendix C Research priorities 21 References 23 ACBI is a collaborative research initiative led by CSIRO in partnership with NICTA, Australia's two leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research organisations. ACBI is part of the CSIRO Digital Productivity and Services Flagship and draws on the broad and diverse research capabilities of CSIRO and NICTA to demonstrate, develop and evaluate innovative new services and applications that are enabled by next generation broadband networks. Funding support for ACBI has been provided by the NSW and Tasmanian Governments. The University of New England was the first Australian university established outside a capital city. UNE has a well-earned reputation as one of Australia's great teaching, training and research universities. The Precision Agriculture Research Group (PARG) is a multidisciplinary team of academic, research and technical staff engaged in the development and application of sensors and practices in precision agriculture.

in any form or by any means except with the written permission of CSIRO and UNE. 9 3. Other CSIRO Smart Farming Initiatives 13 3.1 Queensland Digital Homestead project 13 3.2 Tasmanian Sense-T program 13 4. Drivers and Barriers for Changes 15 4.1 Drivers for Change 15 4.2 Barriers to Adoption 16 5. Realising the Benefits 17 5.1 On-farm benefits 17 5.2 Broader economic opportunities 17 5.3 Agribusiness Service Sector 18 5.4 Environmental Management 18 5.5 Broader Social Benefits 18 Appendix A Details about the Kirby Farm 19 Appendix B Technologies for on-farm needs 20 Appendix C Research priorities 21 References 23 ACBI is a collaborative research initiative led by CSIRO in partnership with NICTA, Australia's two leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research organisations. ACBI is part of the CSIRO Digital Productivity and Services Flagship and draws on the broad and diverse research capabilities of CSIRO and NICTA to demonstrate, develop and evaluate innovative new services and applications that are enabled by next generation broadband networks. Funding support for ACBI has been provided by the NSW and Tasmanian Governments. The University of New England was the first Australian university established outside a capital city. UNE has a well-earned reputation as one of Australia's great teaching, training and research universities. The Precision Agriculture Research Group (PARG) is a multidisciplinary team of academic, research and technical staff engaged in the development and application of sensors and practices in precision agriculture.

For much of the world's urban population, centralized treatment plants and pipe networks built in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries provide homes with water and a means of disposing of the resulting wastewater. Due to the real or perceived inability of existing systems to deliver safe and palatable water, many users apply additional treatment prior to consumption. Where piped water supply is lacking, drinking water is obtained through water vendors at considerable cost. Despite economic inefficiencies and public health risks inherent in these two water supply systems, the high sunk costs of existing water infrastructure along with low returns on investment and the inflexible nature of the institutions involved in water provision have slowed down the diffusion of alternative approaches that may prove to be less expensive, more adaptable and safer than the current system. We advocate a third, complementary route: household-based personalized water systems. Initially, relatively affluent people expecting more functionality and sustainability from water systems will invest in personalized water systems that allow them to tailor their water to their personal preferences. This approach will tap into the tremendous creativitybase of individual users and entrepreneurs, facilitating the type of co-creation that accelerated the rapid development of consumer electronics. Competition among manufacturers and economies of scale that accrue as these systems become more popular will lead to rapid innovation that drives down costs, improves performance and expands access. These solutions complement emerging approaches for sanitation and resource recovery that do not rely upon sewers for the management of human waste.

For much of the world's urban population, centralized treatment plants and pipe networks built in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries provide homes with water and a means of disposing of the resulting wastewater. Due to the real or perceived inability of existing systems to deliver safe and palatable water, many users apply additional treatment prior to consumption. Where piped water supply is lacking, drinking water is obtained through water vendors at considerable cost. Despite economic inefficiencies and public health risks inherent in these two water supply systems, the high sunk costs of existing water infrastructure along with low returns on investment and the inflexible nature of the institutions involved in water provision have slowed down the diffusion of alternative approaches that may prove to be less expensive, more adaptable and safer than the current system. We advocate a third, complementary route: household-based personalized water systems. Initially, relatively affluent people expecting more functionality and sustainability from water systems will invest in personalized water systems that allow them to tailor their water to their personal preferences. This approach will tap into the tremendous creativitybase of individual users and entrepreneurs, facilitating the type of co-creation that accelerated the rapid development of consumer electronics. Competition among manufacturers and economies of scale that accrue as these systems become more popular will lead to rapid innovation that drives down costs, improves performance and expands access. These solutions complement emerging approaches for sanitation and resource recovery that do not rely upon sewers for the management of human waste.

The emerging need for climate-informed and  transboundary adaptive water management.
Dursun Yıldız
HPA-Hydropolitics Association -Türkiye
28 January 2023
Abstract
Management of transboundary waters is increasingly becoming more challenging, particularly within a context of complex social and environmental changes. Population growth, often concentrated in the developing world, will increase pressure on already scarce resources. Climate change is likely to exacerbate these pressures, making it more difficult to manage water across boundaries (4). The 6th IPCC assessment and the 2023 IPCC synthesis report recognize transboundary risks across the food, energy, and water sectors, requiring climate-informed transboundary management.
Transboundary water resources, such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers, often traverse political boundaries, requiring cooperation among neighboring countries for sustainable and equitable management. The effects of climate change, including altered precipitation patterns, rising temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events, pose significant threats to the availability and reliability of these shared water sources. Recognizing the interconnectedness of climate change and transboundary water management is essential for developing resilient and adaptive strategies.
Climate-informed transboundary water management is a critical aspect of addressing the challenges posed by climate change on shared water resources. As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, the need for adaptive and collaborative approaches in managing transboundary water sources becomes increasingly evident. This article explores the key components, challenges, and strategies associated with climate-informed transboundary water management.
The aim of this article  is to identify  need  establishing cooperative transboundary mechanisms to effectively adapt water management to climate change. Furthermore, this article will also address the complex legal difficulties that existing transboundary water institutions face when attempting to adapt existing mechanisms to function in a changing climate.
Keywords: Transboundary water, adaptive management,climate-informed water management

Transboundary water resources, such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers, often cross political boundaries, necessitating cooperation among neighboring countries for sustainable and equitable management. The effects of climate change, including altered precipitation patterns, rising temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events, pose significant threats to the availability and reliability of these shared water sources. Recognizing the interconnectedness of climate change and transboundary water management is essential for developing resilient and adaptive strategies. Climate-informed transboundary water management is crucial for addressing the challenges posed by climate change on shared water resources. As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, the need for adaptive and collaborative approaches in managing transboundary water sources becomes increasingly evident. This article explores the key components, challenges, and strategies associated with climate-informed transboundary water management.

The use of stormwater runoff for domestic purposes (rainwater harvesting; RWH) is increasing as part of the green building movement; however, significant barriers impede the widespread uptake of the technology. This paper reports on the results of stakeholder interviews conducted with representatives from municipal administrations, the building sector and commercial suppliers, identifying barriers faced by each party in implementing RWH. The most significant barriers were as follows: initial capital cost, liability for potential health risks, limitations on the end use of rainwater, the Building Code's poor differentiation between rainwater, greywater and non-potable water, and a lack of public environmental commitment. Health risks would be a paramount concern for public health officials, but were only a moderate concern for the majority of building practitioners interviewed. These barriers are elaborated upon and discussed in the context of technological lock-in of conventional water management systems and the resulting lack of capacity in alternate water management approaches. Flexible, iterative, reflective, and participatory processes are required to build capacity for sustainable urban water management. Résumé : La récolte des eaux pluvieuse est une pratique ancienne de collecter les eaux de pluies de la surface d'un toit, garder dans une citerne pour une utilisation ultérieure. L'intérêt dans la récolte de l'eau de pluie augmente et va s'accélérer quand des facteurs comme les changements climatique, le renouvellement des infrastructures et l'augmentation de la population rendront évident le besoin pour des approches diversifiées et une adaption de la gestion des eaux urbaines. Cependant, des barrières importantes empêchent la généralisation de cette technologie. Cet article met en évidence les donnés recoltées lors d'entretiens avec les intéressés, avec les représentants des administrations municipales, du secteur de la construction et les fournisseurs commerciaux , et identifie les barrières de la récolte de l'eau de pluie. Les barrières les plus importantes qui sont apparues sont: les coûts, les responsabilités, les contraintes liées au Code de Construction, l'usage limité de l'eau de pluie et l'absence de différentiation entre les eaux de pluies et les eaux usées, et un manque générale de reconnaissance du public concernent les questions de l'eau. Les risques afférants à la santé seraient d'importance capitale pour les responsables en santé publique, mais ne représentaient qu'un souci modéré pour les praticiens en bâtiments. Ces

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

The Article explores the intersection between positive international law and domestic legislation in the protection and management of transboundary water resources, with particular focus on the Brazilian Amazon. Given the global importance of the Amazon Basin and the growing threats to its fragile ecosystem-which to date has been relatively unaffected by human settlement, the need for a comprehensive legal regime to guide the development and management of this shared watercourse cannot be overstated. Because well over half of the Amazon Basin is in Brazil, much of the international spotlight on the exploitation of the Amazon's natural resources has focused on Brazil. Of equal importance is Brazil's legal approach to protecting and sustainably managing this transboundary basin. The latter issue raises the following question: With respect to the protection and management of the land and water resources of the Amazon Basin, what law should apply-Brazil's or international la...

The study examines the levels of contamination of domestic water sources in Maiduguri Metropolis area of Borno State based on their physicochemical and bacteriological properties.  It was informed by the global concern on good drinking water quality which is an indicator of development level; hence the focus on domestic water sources to ascertain safety as water from unhygienic sources pose serious health challenges. The study dwelt on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters believed to have health implications. Experimental design was adopted, where water samples derived from four different sources i.e. from treated surface water, deep boreholes, wash boreholes and harvested rainwater were tested in the laboratory for  pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), cyanide (Cn), lead (Pb), fluoride (Fl) and nitrate (NO3). Also tested were faecal coliform (E. coli) and total coliform counts in the...

The study examines the levels of contamination of domestic water sources in Maiduguri Metropolis area of Borno State based on their physicochemical and bacteriological properties.  It was informed by the global concern on good drinking water quality which is an indicator of development level; hence the focus on domestic water sources to ascertain safety as water from unhygienic sources pose serious health challenges. The study dwelt on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters believed to have health implications. Experimental design was adopted, where water samples derived from four different sources i.e. from treated surface water, deep boreholes, wash boreholes and harvested rainwater were tested in the laboratory for  pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), cyanide (Cn), lead (Pb), fluoride (Fl) and nitrate (NO3). Also tested were faecal coliform (E. coli) and total coliform counts in the...

The papers in this Symposium were prepared for an important conference on “Updating International Nuclear Law” held in Salzburg, Austria in October 2005. The Austrians living in Salzburg and Upper Austria have long been distressed by the risks created by the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant, situated in the Czech Republic some 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of the Austrian-Czech border. That plant was started by the Soviet Union, but had been only partially completed when the Cold War ended. Under U.S. pressure, the Czech government agreed to contract with Westinghouse to complete the plant, creating a hybrid plant utilizing some Soviet and some Westinghouse technology. It is thus a unique plant, creating unknown risks.

This work investigates the barriers that exist to deter the implementation of rainwater harvesting into new UK housing. A postal questionnaire was sent to a selection of large, medium and small house-builders distributed across the UK. Questions were asked concerning potential barriers to the inclusion of rainwater harvesting in homes separated into five sections; (1) institutional and regulatory gaps, (2) economic and financial constraints, (3) absence of incentives, (4) lack of information and technical knowledge, and (5) house-builder attitudes. The study concludes that although the knowledge of rainwater systems has increased these barriers are deterring house-builders from installing rainwater harvesting systems in new homes. It is further acknowledged that the implementation of rainwater harvesting will continue to be limited whilst these barriers remain and unless resolved, rainwater harvesting's potential to reduce the consumption of potable water in houses will continue to be limited.

Water recycling is becoming progressively more important as the need for Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) is increasing to ensure a transition towards a more sustainable use for water. Perceptions and public acceptance of water reuse are recognised as paramount factors for the successful introduction of wastewater reuse projects, regardless of the strength of scientific evidence in their favour. This article analyses perceptions of risks and benefits of using treated wastewater for irrigation purposes in agriculture when dealing with different crops. Data from an original farmer survey are analysed through descriptive statistics and a classification tree approach. The study reveals limited knowledge of wastewater treatment, yet a good level of openness towards the reuse of wastewater for irrigation. A lower risk perception and a higher acceptance level are mainly explained by positive expectations with regard to the environmental characteristics of effluent water, higher edu...

The study examines the levels of contamination of domestic water sources in Maiduguri Metropolis area of Borno State based on their physicochemical and bacteriological properties.  It was informed by the global concern on good drinking water quality which is an indicator of development level; hence the focus on domestic water sources to ascertain safety as water from unhygienic sources pose serious health challenges. The study dwelt on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters believed to have health implications. Experimental design was adopted, where water samples derived from four different sources i.e. from treated surface water, deep boreholes, wash boreholes and harvested rainwater were tested in the laboratory for  pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), cyanide (Cn), lead (Pb), fluoride (Fl) and nitrate (NO3). Also tested were faecal coliform (E. coli) and total coliform counts in the...

The study examines the levels of contamination of domestic water sources in Maiduguri Metropolis area of Borno State based on their physicochemical and bacteriological properties.  It was informed by the global concern on good drinking water quality which is an indicator of development level; hence the focus on domestic water sources to ascertain safety as water from unhygienic sources pose serious health challenges. The study dwelt on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters believed to have health implications. Experimental design was adopted, where water samples derived from four different sources i.e. from treated surface water, deep boreholes, wash boreholes and harvested rainwater were tested in the laboratory for  pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), cyanide (Cn), lead (Pb), fluoride (Fl) and nitrate (NO3). Also tested were faecal coliform (E. coli) and total coliform counts in the...

The study examines the levels of contamination of domestic water sources in Maiduguri Metropolis area of Borno State based on their physicochemical and bacteriological properties. It was informed by the global concern on good drinking water quality which is an indicator of development level; hence the focus on domestic water sources to ascertain safety as water from unhygienic sources pose serious health challenges. The study dwelt on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters believed to have health implications. Experimental design was adopted, where water samples derived from four different sources i.e. from treated surface water, deep boreholes, wash boreholes and harvested rainwater were tested in the laboratory for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), cyanide (Cn), lead (Pb), fluoride (Fl) and nitrate (NO 3). Also tested were faecal coliform (E. coli) and total coliform counts in the samples. The results showed that levels of physicochemical parameters are within the acceptable limit of WHO mostly in samples from deep boreholes and treated surface water sources. Samples from wash boreholes and harvested rainwater show escalated levels of some of the physicochemical parameters. The two sources also did not yield zero E. coli count. The study concludes that water from wash boreholes and harvested rainwater sources potent health risk. Thorough epidemiological study to determine health implications of drinking water from wash boreholes and harvested rainwater in the study area was offered as recommendation.

Research in innovation studies suggests that appropriate starting conditions are required if alignment of research to practice and policy is to be enabled. To achieve this alignment, a scoping exercise is required and must involve those people and institutions that have an interest in the research. This paper describes a consultation process to develop a Blueprint for Regional Water Productivity in Australia through a new research initiative at the University of Melbourne. This Blueprint was developed through a two-stage consultation project in which opportunities and constraints for system innovation in regional water productivity in Australia were identified and discussed with key stakeholders without pre-empting research or development questions. In this paper, we ask: Did this consultation process constitute a platform for innovation in research practices? In addressing this question, we describe this process and suggest that it constituted a fledgling platform for innovation in research practices characterised by new social arrangements, material exchanges and the discursive object of `innovation systems' . However, the potential for institutional change from this platform will depend on continued deliberation between water sector actors in new routines of research-development practice, and collective action through the formalisation of new partnerships between researchers, practitioners and policy-makers.

The pressure on water and wastewater infrastructure in Canadian municipalities continues to rise with the need for increased capacity and upgrades. Demands to extend and maintain municipal infrastructure means that capital costs threaten to swallow municipal budgets. A water efficiency strategy has helped some municipalities to maintain or reduce their residential and commercial water consumption. This demand adjustment then allows the municipality to defer some capital investment. But relying solely on municipal governments to see that water demand policies are implemented, and enforced, is unwise. Government priorities and responsibilities change, citizen interests evolve and funding programs can be cut. Yet the private sector's contribution to promoting and sustaining residential and commercial water efficiency initiatives remains an untapped opportunity for collaboration. Conventional explanations for this neglect are that the private sector has been slow to embrace efficiency innovations because they are not economically viable and because buyers are not interested. The challenge is how to assess innovative builders and then translate the findings for policy-makers in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, Canada. This study used qualitative methods to assess the 'tacit knowledge' as a critical variable for innovative realtors and builders. We also assessed the legislative environment and the builders' organizational cultures to generate new and proactive insights for residential water efficiency. By understanding the professionals' learning processes, their rationale for action, and the organizational cultures in which they operate, more nuanced policy recommendations at multiple levels are possible.

Water demand management (WDM) is reconceptualized within a social innovation framework. This social innovation framework encourages new opportunities and investigations about the social capital necessary for successful WDM. Influential elements include the knowledge held by WDM practitioners and the social networks in which they are embedded. These two elements have been neglected in conventional WDM policy and research. A reconceptualization of WDM requires changes in how we use decision makers' tacit knowledge and in how we support social networks for information exchange. It also suggests new ways to overcome implementation barriers in the area of resource management and to improve program sustainability.

Private equity offsets are a partial solution to the difficult justice issues raised on the global level by climate change. Equity offsets allow individuals to follow their moral intuitions about the global differences in carbon emissions and the impact of global warming on individual lives. An ...

Immense changes are underway in the dairy industry consequent on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2012). These changes have affected dairy families and communities across the Basin and led to concerns expressed by industry and community leaders about the long-term impact of these changes. The Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation partnered with researchers in the Gender, Leadership and Social Sustainability (GLASS) research unit, Department of Social Work, Monash University and were successful in receiving an Australian Research Council Linkage grant to assess issues affecting the social sustainability of these communities. This project was undertaken from 2014-17. While definitions of social sustainability are highly contested we note that attention to sustainability must recognise justice and equity, local livelihood factors, the health and wellbeing of citizens and their participation in decision-making. It must also alert us to the importance of community values and social norms in the context of environmental and economic sustainability. The research was conducted from 2014-17. Three dairy communities in northern Victoria formed the background for this research. The research was conducted in four stages-STAGE 1 Key informants from national, state and regional bodies (2014); STAGE 2 Key informants from the three chosen communities (2015); STAGE 3 Interviews and focus groups with dairy family members (2015); STAGE 4 Partnership with the Regional Wellbeing Survey enabled a quantitative survey of dairy participants (N=128 from dairy farmers in the Murray Goulburn areas including northern Victoria) (2016). / 5 Key findings from the qualitative and quantitative data related to the following themes: • Fairness, trust, uncertainty and equity issues • Coping and wellbeing issues-the continuous requirement to adapt and cope, adaptive capacity and the limits to adaptation • Critique of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan water governance process and related water reforms • Intersecting challenges for farmers and related communities 6 / Capital city Main town Main rivers State border Murray-Darling Basin Sources:

The Jordan River Basin (JRB) has presented for long a sensitive water management challenge due to its direct association with water scarcity and socio-political conflicts amongst its riparians. This study emphasizes the limitations of existing bilateral agreements with respect to water allocation and argues for the potential of using renewable energy to catalyse a more lasting agreement within the basin based on mutual interest and benefit sharing beyond the river with third party involvement under the context of a "Positive Apportionment Framework". A SWOT analysis for the framework indicated that while there are incentives for all riparians and for third parties to collaborate towards attractive benefits, there are equally challenging weaknesses and threats. In an effort to rank the relative importance of these factors, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied. Responses from experts indicated that the highest influencing factors were the external threats stemming from regional politics and existing instability. These were followed by the weakness of the framework's ability to operate under existing economic disparities, regulatory and institutional discrepancies among riparian states, as well as deep-rooted socio-political conflicts between riparians. Still, highly influencing strengths and opportunities exist to build upon, such as the need to enhance water supply under an integrated water resources management and the potential for the framework to balance the bargaining power between riparians.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without prior permission of the author. vi me attend the most crucial phases of the planning process. Thanks to Pascal Karlsson of the municipality of Göteborg for reserving two full days to show me around. Also, many thanks to all the respondents and informants in the pilot projects who were prepared to answer my questions and to provide me with project documents and first-hand information. Although my research has benefited from discussions with many different scholars, I want to mention some names in particular. Kirsten Gram-Hanssen (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg University) provided valuable comments on drafts of chapter three and six of this thesis. Discussions with Heather Lovell (Department of Geography, Durham University) and Barbara Van Mierlo (Wageningen University) inspired my writing on niche management. I thank Paul de Graaf for his detailed comments on the draft EET-DESAR report. I enjoyed discussing our publications and becoming aware of how social and spatial issues concerning sustainable technology development are interrelated. Also the discussions with Rutger de Graaff (TU Delft), Helena Krantz (Linköping University) and Adriaan Mels (Wageningen University) helped me to develop my own line of argumentation. My contacts with many MSc students provided me with a fresh view on the topic. I will only name those two students whose MSc theses I co-supervised:

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without prior permission of the author. vi me attend the most crucial phases of the planning process. Thanks to Pascal Karlsson of the municipality of Göteborg for reserving two full days to show me around. Also, many thanks to all the respondents and informants in the pilot projects who were prepared to answer my questions and to provide me with project documents and first-hand information. Although my research has benefited from discussions with many different scholars, I want to mention some names in particular. Kirsten Gram-Hanssen (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg University) provided valuable comments on drafts of chapter three and six of this thesis. Discussions with Heather Lovell (Department of Geography, Durham University) and Barbara Van Mierlo (Wageningen University) inspired my writing on niche management. I thank Paul de Graaf for his detailed comments on the draft EET-DESAR report. I enjoyed discussing our publications and becoming aware of how social and spatial issues concerning sustainable technology development are interrelated. Also the discussions with Rutger de Graaff (TU Delft), Helena Krantz (Linköping University) and Adriaan Mels (Wageningen University) helped me to develop my own line of argumentation. My contacts with many MSc students provided me with a fresh view on the topic. I will only name those two students whose MSc theses I co-supervised:

Water conflicts are rare across Michigan's history. As a result, water rights have received little attention by courts or the legislature. Traditionally, the common law of water rights in Michigan embraces the riparian doctrine for surface water and provides landowners with the right to use groundwater. However, two recent changes in common and statutory law significantly modify the legal relations among water users and others with a stake in water use decisions. A 2005 Michigan Court of Appeals decision created a new legal relation among riparian and groundwater rights holders. In 2008, Michigan's legislature passed laws aimed at regulating surface water and groundwater withdrawals. As an exercise of police power intended to protect public rights in water and associated environmental quality, the 2008 laws cap total water withdrawals. This program of restricting water withdrawals coexists with the state's common law which provides for reasonable use of surface water by ...

In this paper we describe preliminary results from an action research inquiry into knowledge making as part of a large integrated catchment research project, the Farms, Rivers and Markets (FRM) project. The FRM Project aimed to integrate academic research and community knowledge/s in the development of new water management options in an agricultural region, the Goulburn-Broken catchment in northeastern Victoria, Australia. The preliminary findings of this research include the dynamics and processes that support integration amongst diverse disciplinary knowledge/s, and knowledge partnerships between integrated research projects and diverse communities of practice in agriculture and water management. We understand action learning to involve coordinating a variety of disparate practices and provide examples of how action learning (for improving catchment management) proceeds through two key processes of: integration and co-development. For each process, we describe the features that supported integrated research which included: careful planning as part of research design; facilitation of the emergent 'need' for integration/co-development; reflection and commitment; people-place connections; specialist skills in knowledge brokering; and shared decision-making and resource investment.

This article was originally published by IWA Publishing. IWA Publishing recognizes the retention of the right by the author(s) to photocopy or make single electronic copies of the paper for their own personal use, including for their own classroom use, or the personal use of colleagues, provided the copies are not offered for sale and are not distributed in a systematic way outside of their employing institution.

Professional plumbers play an essential role in the implementation of water efficiency. If North America is to achieve high water efficiency standards and more ambitious plumbing codes, plumbers will need to be actively included in the water efficiency discussion. Repositioning the industry will required a cultural shift because the plumbing community has been mostly ignored in discussions of the larger environmental agenda and priorities. This repositioning will require substantial rethinking and retraining. New knowledge will need to be transmitted about emerging water efficient technologies, public policies and practices, as well as the rationale for use in residential and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sectors. The GreenPlumbers Program (GPP) initiated this knowledge transfer process. Originating in Australia and expanded to the United States, the GPP is a national training and accreditation program for professional plumbers. Their focus has been on upgrading skills and awareness of water efficiency, conservation, and the professional plumbers' roles in the contemporary environmental context. In this paper we report on the efficacy of the GPP's curriculum and the process of transferring explicit water efficiency knowledge. Semi-structured interviews and a survey were used to gather the data. We considered how the program participants incorporated the GPP curriculum into their 'day-to-day' practices and operations post-certification. We also investigated participants' motivating factors and cross-referenced these findings to their overall assessment of the program. Recommendations focus on how the GPP can best influence and contribute to a more comprehensive water efficiency agenda.

Water efficiency research has focused on consumption rates and the tools—for example, pricing—designed to modify consumers' demand. But municipal practitioners can also be a highly influential group and have been neglected in the conventional water demand management (WDM) research. To understand better how to make WDM policy implementation more successful, practitioners “tacit knowledge” must be identified and examined. Tacit knowledge consists of deep beliefs and values about the way the world works and is important. Grounded in practical experience, tacit knowledge is informal, unspoken and often difficult to articulate. People may not even be consciously aware of their tacit knowledge; rather, their deepest beliefs and values operate as an implicit and unquestioned background understanding that shapes how they see the world and act within it. Tacit knowledge influences why practitioners are concerned about WDM, how they act on that concern and what they say about the issue wh...

The recent drought in southeastern Australia saw the lowest inflows on record in the Murray-Darling Basin in 2006. As reservoirs were drawn down water availability for irrigation was cut. In 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, irrigators received about one third of their pre-drought allocations. Understanding how the irrigation sector adapted to less water will help planning for the next drought and a future in which irrigation water use will be reduced permanently in the basin. The aggregate responses that we report are consistent with reported data on strategies used by irrigators to adapt to less water, including water trading, input substitution, changes to crop mix, and improvements to technology leading to reduced water application rates and yield increases. These responses likely also provide some insight on how irrigators will adapt to future more permanent reductions in irrigation water and assist in the identification of constraints to adaption.

Although public support for physical activity-friendly Traditional Neighborhood Developments (TNDs) appears to be growing, information is lacking on private sector perspectives and how economic factors (eg, fuel prices) might influence the development and sale of TNDs. A sample of realtors from the National Association of Realtors (n = 4950) and developers from the National Association of Home Builders (n = 162) were surveyed in early 2009 to assess factors influencing homebuyers' decisions; incentives and barriers to developing TNDs; effects of depressed housing market conditions and financing on sales; trends in buying; and energy considerations (eg, green building). Realtors believed that homebuyers continue to rank affordability, safety and school quality higher than TND amenities. Developers reported numerous barriers to TNDs, including the inability to overcome governmental/political hurdles, lack of cooperation between government agencies, and lack of market demand. Yet, ...

This work investigates the barriers that exist to deter the implementation of rainwater harvesting into new UK housing. A postal questionnaire was sent to a selection of large, medium and small house-builders distributed across the UK. Questions were asked concerning potential barriers to the inclusion of rainwater harvesting in homes separated into five sections; (1) institutional and regulatory gaps, (2) economic and financial constraints, (3) absence of incentives, (4) lack of information and technical knowledge, and (5) house-builder attitudes. The study concludes that although the knowledge of rainwater systems has increased these barriers are deterring house-builders from installing rainwater harvesting systems in new homes. It is further acknowledged that the implementation of rainwater harvesting will continue to be limited whilst these barriers remain and unless resolved, rainwater harvesting's potential to reduce the consumption of potable water in houses will continue to be limited.

Water is an essential resource for human survival. As a Turkish businessman commented, "Countless millions of people have lived without love, but none without water." 1 Water is essential not only for human survival, but also for human thriving. Yet humans and most plants and animals of use to humans can tolerate only a narrow range of impurities in the water they consume. Furthermore, the quantity of water available on the planet remains essentially unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, usable water has always been a scarce and valuable commodity.

Recent trends in watershed governance are attributable to two developments in watershed protection. First, the growth of ecosystem services research has reframed the manner in which value accrues in natural resources. At the intersection of economics and ecology, the study of ecosystem services has supported the attribution of economic value to ecosystem processes. In the meantime, ecosystem services research has freed local governments to conceive of value in natural resources in ways that match community preferences and priorities. Second, local governments are participating quite intentionally in watershed management by identifying with particular watersheds, particular watershed features, and particular watershed functions, in ways that other entities lack the institutional capacity to do. These developments are important for watershed protection in ways not previously seen: even if political boundaries are left intact, when local governments protect watershed functionality, they are acting to preserve natural capital, and natural capital is geographically situated in ways that defy the sanctity of political boundaries. Part II of this Article discusses the complexity of functional watersheds and identifies watershed features that can be categorized in ecosystem services terms as the provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services. By discussing watershed services, this part identifies the valuable ecosystem services in watersheds and the objectives of watershed investments. This Part explores the notion that local governments are so grounded relative to watersheds that the task of identifying and satisfying local needs and parochial perspectivesoften thought to impede sound environmental planning-should be considered a primary driver in a collaborative and developing process.

Demand side management is being used increasingly by Ontario municipalities as a way to improve the efficiency of water use, defer the costs associated with constructing new water treatment works, and minimize the environmental impacts associated with supplying water. A comprehensive survey of 153 Ontario municipalities was completed in mid-1998. These ranged in size from small rural townships (with populations as low as 500 people) to the province's largest urban center, Metropolitan Toronto, with a population of approximately 2.5 million people. The questionnaire measured the use of six broad types of demand side measures, including water pricing and metering; municipal by-laws (ordinances) that promote water conservation; operational and maintenance measures to reduce water losses and consumption;

Demand side management is being used increasingly by Ontario municipalities as a way to improve the efficiency of water use, defer the costs associated with constructing new water treatment works, and minimize the environmental impacts associated with supplying water. A comprehensive survey of 153 Ontario municipalities was completed in mid-1998. These ranged in size from small rural townships (with populations as low as 500 people) to the province's largest urban center, Metropolitan Toronto, with a population of approximately 2.5 million people. The questionnaire measured the use of six broad types of demand side measures, including water pricing and metering; municipal by-laws (ordinances) that promote water conservation; operational and maintenance measures to reduce water losses and consumption;