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Property rights granted by land and water policies are not always identical with the claims – meaning perceived rights - people base their actions on. A high discrepancy between both resembles an ineffective policy implementation and bears the risk of unsustainable decision-making. Furthermore, perceived rights to land and its corresponding resource water can vary significantly. In this paper, we operationalize the property rights concepts and empirically assess, by specifying and quantifying, the difference between property rights and farmers’ customary claims to both, land and water resources. With regard to land, actors tend to base their decisions on customary claims, and override property rights. In contrast, regarding water, we find that the full benefits of property rights granted by a policy reform are often not recognized. Whereas in the first case political control and monitoring mechanisms seems to fail, in the latter a lack of information sharing let the farmers not exploit their full investment potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relay node placement algorithm in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) for water supply distribution control and monitoring is an important requirement. The researchers have used the connectivity-aware approximation algorithm for relay node placement in WSN. This paper discusses about implementation results of existing Local Search Approximation Algorithm (LSAA). The experimentations have been carried out for varying number of nodes Relay Node Single Cover (RNSC) problem to remove implemented local search approximation algorithm (LSAA). In LSAA algorithm, N number of sensor nodes and M number of relay nodes to allocated for a set cover (SC) for each group. Main contribution of this paper to discuss this work in algorithm form and to make easy and better to related work. To find out the different and approachable result increases the nodes with 100,150,200etc. Mat lab clearly to explain the result in the graphically form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megacities expansion around the globe have significantly increased the demand for resources to the point of depleting available reservoirs and requiring importing resources from nearby locations sometimes implementing major infrastructure projects for guaranteeing access to resources. This is particularly true for one of the largest Megalopolis in the world, Mexico City, that imports 40% of its water supply from neighboring states. Despite of being a city holding important hydric resources, the lack of strategies, technological innovation, user-centered service design, consistent data acquiring, and optimization tools have led to a poor water management that maintains the metropolis with a constant scarcity of the resource. Therefore, the aim of the current paper is to present a conceptual service design for smart rainwater harvesting in urban settlements that provides an alternative source for citizens to reduce the local hydric stress, diminish aquifer overexploitation and increase water well recovery contributing to more sustainable cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of increasing water pollution, the achievement of a harmonious development of human and water systems has become increasingly important to build an ecological civilization and achieve high-quality economic development. On this basis, this paper takes Chinese A-share listed companies as the research object, and examines whether environmental regulation of water resources can influence employment decisions of enterprises. The results showed that the environmental regulation of water resources reduced the number of workers absorbed by enterprises characterized by high pollution and water consumption. Mandatory innovation pressures imposed on high-pressure group by the environmental regulation of water resources prompted these industries to recruit more high-tech workers; while those industries that were not subjected to mandatory innovation pressures (i.e., the medium-pressure group) did not show an evident increase in demand for high-tech workers. The results of further analyses showed that, although the employment decisions of these two groups of enterprises differed, their enterprise values clearly improved after the implementation of this policy. This study provides important policy insights on how to achieve the protection of water resources and the optimization of the enterprise employment structure under the background of environmental regulation of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated Water Resource Management relies intensive coordination, vertically across different levels of government and horizontally across policy sectors, as many decisions affecting water resources are taken outside the water sector (e.g., in agriculture, industry). Coordination problems across levels and sectors may arise due to incompatibilities of governance modes – coordinative mechanisms ranging from hierarchy, network, to market mode – employed in the often fragmented water policy domain. This paper contributes to the discussion departing from the overarching hypothesis that synergistic interplay of governance modes rather than the dominance of a single mode supports coordination. This hypothesis is rooted in the assumption that given the plurality of state and non-state actors in water governance, who are entangled in formal and informal relationships, neither the dominance of hierarchical control, market competition, nor collaboration in networks alone is capable to ensure coordination results as different modes are appropriate for different relationships within the sector. Coordination processes and results, therefore depend on the synergistic interplay between the governance modes employed. The paper presents case studies from Germany, Mongolia, South Africa, and Spain, which face different cross-sector coordination challenges. Our findings suggest that despite policy reforms for integrated water and environmental governance, hierarchy prevails in formal provisions and practices to differing degrees. We find evidence that synergistic interplay between governance modes supports horizontal coordination, which is necessary for solving nexus governance challenges. However, synergistic interplay is not sufficient to translate coordination practices to coordination outcomes. Factors such as leadership and conflicts powerfully influence the translation as well. • Synergies between governance modes affect cross-sectoral coordination processes and results. • The article presents a rigorous comparative study on five river basins worldwide. • Despite integrated management approaches, hierarchy prevails in water governance. • Horizontal coordination requires synergistic interplay of governance modes. • Conflicts over water resources and power asymmetries may render coordination ineffective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine methods of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Ghana, map their perceived impacts on water resources, and analyse the implications of these perceptions for meeting the targets related to Clean Water of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). The paper draws on 74 interviews with artisanal and small-scale gold miners and other stakeholders to investigate communities' perceptions of the effects of ASM methods (alluvial mining, surface/open-pit mining, and underground mining) on water bodies. We find that different ASM methods impact surface and groundwater in distinct ways while concurrently having a synergistic negative effect on water bodies. Stakeholders – including community leaders – perceive that the mining methods employed in ASM cause various forms of environmental degradation – thus affecting progress towards SDG 6, target 6.3 (water quality) – and severely hinder the availability of clean water for domestic and agricultural purposes, thus endangering the livelihoods of communities and affecting progress towards SDG 6, target 6.4 (sustainable water use). The community perceived impacts of ASM activities on water resources have implications for community acceptance of formalisation efforts in Ghana. We contend that a better understanding of these perceived impacts can help shape the country's policy for achieving the targets of SDG 6 in relation to Clean Water by 2030. In particular, we propose that the integration of the Community Mining Scheme as part of formalisation efforts of informal gold mining in Ghana not only responds to SDG 6 target 6b (participation of local communities in water management) but also has the potential to reverse the current large-scale mining 'bias' in policy, while addressing the galamsey challenge that contributes to the increasing impact of informal gold mining on SDG 6, targets 6.3 and 6.4. • There is a nexus between ASM methods (alluvial, surface/open pit, and underground mining) and their impacts on water resources. • ASM methods impact surface and ground water in distinct ways. • Formalisation policy and ASM methods have implications for achieving the targets related to SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation. • The Community Mining Scheme (CMS) in Ghana has the potential to challenge the large-scale mining 'bias'. • The CMS provides directions for other African countries which face similar ASM concerns such as the formalisation hurdles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at a viable response to failed privatisation in Dar es Salaam in the wake of aborted privatisation in 2005. The city's experience highlights the inherent failings and the implicit assumptions that are central to the privatisation model. Set against an illustration of the global political economy of water supply privatisation as well as the specific political economy of that in Dar es Salaam, the paper reviews the evidence base for an alternative mechanism for strengthening water supply governance, the public-public partnership (PuP), through which technical and managerial expertise is mobilised among public and not-for-profit providers. This model is observed in Dar es Salaam at different scales, from CBOs and mitaa at the local level, to a contract arrangement between asset holder (DAWASA) and operator (DAWASCO), up to international partnerships with other public water utilities, governments, and NGOs. At these scales, PuPs have been able to channel investment in pro-poor access, knowledge exchange and capacity development, and to build public trust. Despite gains, issues such as the predominance of commercial normativity remained and undermined some of the core principles of PuPs. In 2018, the PuP contract was ended, and national policy once again targets private sector expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively study the regional soil and water ecological environment and its ecological restoration in China's key ecological protection regions. This paper discusses the ecological problems of soil and water resources from the two research fields of vegetation degradation and soil erosion, and analyzes the causes and effects of ecological restoration measures in recent years. Then, the collected data and the SWAT model were used to study the ecological restoration performance of water and soil resources and the coupling degree of land resource utilization rate and water and soil resources from four aspects, respectively water resource quantity, water resource development utilization rate, land resource utilization rate and coupling degree of water and soil resources. This paper analyzes the coordinated relationship between regional economic development and ecological environment through coupling analysis method, evaluates the level of regional coordinated development at the same time, and puts forward the coupling index of regional coordinated development between regional economy and ecological environment. From 2009 to 2019, the index in Tianshui, Longnan, Baoji and Hanzhong showed a trend of first increasing, then decreasing and then increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water, energy and food (WEF) are experiencing significant stress due to an increase in their demand and scarcity, and this situation will worsen in the coming years. For this reason, this paper proposes a WEF nexus index, which consists of 6 indicators of availability and accessibility to measure water, energy and food security. The proposed methodology, based on indicators and a scoring system, allows decision-makers to evaluate the nexus security and implement actions to achieve the sustainability of the three resources by 2050. Models based on deep learning are developed for the projection of the production and consumption of resources for the case study of Mexico. The Long Short-Term Memory and Gated Recurrent Unit networks are considered. Projections for 2050 resulted in water consumption of 121,679 hm3, electricity generation of 772,486 GWh and electricity consumption of 932,764 GWh, while food production will reach 351,802,080 tons. This represents an increase of 51.7% in water consumption, 180.33% in electricity generation, 254.54% in electricity demand and 103.05% in food production, compared to 2010. The WEF nexus index has an upward trend because the accessibility of water and energy will increase by 2050, but their availability will decrease; the opposite is the case in the food sector, where availability will increase and access will decrease. [Display omitted] • Deep learning models were developed for water, energy and food resource forecasting. • An index was developed with 6 indicators of resource availability and accessibility. • A case study from Mexico was addressed. • The predicted data were used in the WEF nexus security assessment towards 2050. • Water and energy availability decrease, while accessibility increases by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent challenges in dealing with water management problems arise from complex interdependencies of diverse water uses. Water-related crises, such as prolonged droughts or extreme floods, may have severe impacts across scales and in different sectors. At the same time, numerous, largely independent decisions in different sectors affecting water resources and water-dependent ecosystems introduce further uncertainties. Conceptual consideration and empirical evidence suggest that polycentric governance systems have a high capacity to deal with such challenges. Polycentric governance systems combine decentralization of authority and decision-making with some kind of coordination of the different (semi-)autonomous governance units. However, the nature of and pathways towards polycentric governance are still quite poorly understood. This paper analyses requirements (1) for governance systems to become polycentric and (2) for such systems to effectively tackle water management challenges. The analyses are based on a data set of 26 cases from developed and less developed countries. Results from Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) confirm the hypothesis that polycentric governance systems are characterized by high performance in supporting effective coordination. Fragmented as well as centralized, not coordinated (rent-seeking) regimes show poor performance. The QCA analyses highlight further the importance of high institutional capacity for the effectiveness of formal coordination instruments. Results show as well a strong interdependence between vertical coordination and horizontal coordination. The results from QCA analyses are substantiated with findings from in-depth studies of selected cases from the larger data set. • Comparative case study analyses combining QCA and in depth analyses. • Polycentric governance systems are essential for dealing with complex cross-sectoral coordination challenges in water management. • Horizontal and vertical coordination are interdependent. • Institutional capacity is a requirement for implementation and effectiveness of formal coordination instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paper explores the local state, a framework to connect analyses of state, market and civil society in communities below the national level. • The local state concept is employed here to assess climate change adaptation (CCA), focusing on a case study of water resources in Tucson, AZ. • The Tucson case examines rainwater harvesting and the role of the water industry, local government organizations and civil society groups. • Barriers to CCA can be explained in the context of pre-existing policies and the complex dynamics of the local state. As climate change becomes a more obvious existential threat to many communities, sharper tools are needed to analyze policymaking and especially the variations in effective adaptive planning. While policy creation, preparedness and disaster management are essentially local activities, much analysis simply focuses on cities and overlooks robust tools to understand what happens within communities of all types. This paper explores the local state, an analytical framework which can connect our understanding of state, market and civil society within communities below the level of the nation state. The local state concept is resurgent within the academic literature and this paper shows the potential of this analysis, drawing on empirical examples of climate change adaptation from Tucson AZ and New Orleans, coupled with broader discussion from several countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study of the determinants of adaptive behavior in face of climate-driven water insecurity, using a survey of 400 urban dwellers in Lima, Peru. Lima is characterized by continuous water stress and is at risk of permanent water scarcity due to climate change. Residents show a general understanding that the climate is changing and have recent experience with climate extremes. We use regression analyses to identify the socioeconomic, socio-institutional, and psychological determinants of adaptive behavior. We examine the differences between climate-responsive and general adaptive behavior, using five indices -- structural, knowledge, consumption, planning, and environmental -- to identify and compare the determinants of both behaviors. Our findings show that education, extended water availability, climate change concern, and cultural environmental values influence adaptive behavior, and each thematic index has distinct set of significant behavioral determinants. We discuss the importance of water-related determinants, the intentionality of adaption behavior, and the need to contextualize the social and psychological realities of urban dwellers in the Global South. • Education, extended water availability, climate change concern, and cultural environmental values influence adaptive behavior. • The climate-responsive and general adaptive behavior determinants that differ are related to self-transcendence values. • Water-specific urban processes prove significant to explain adaptive behavior. • Individuals' social distance to climate change does not prevent them from adapting to climate change. • The assumption that social trust is a condition for adaptation is contested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a critical issue worldwide and has become a major constraint on socio-economic development. Seawater desalination is an appealing adaptation option in regions with access to the coast; however, it has sustainability challenges that require careful consideration. Two critical challenges are: how to manage the spectrum of potential adverse social and environmental impacts; and how to provide fair and sustainable water access benefits to the region as a whole. This paper presents a participatory modelling framework designed to support the participatory planning of sustainable integration of desalinated seawater into a regional water supply network in water-scarce regions. The framework is based on a modelling tool that facilitates collaborative understanding of the regional context and optimises and maps candidate water supply networks and the associated trade-offs between economic, environmental and social performance criteria. The framework aims to facilitate dialogue between all interested parties and contributes to a more informed, fair, consented, long-term and sustainable integration of desalinated seawater into regional water supply schemes. An application to the Atacama region in Chile illustrates the capabilities of the framework to communicate options under varying conditions of environmental protection. The case study also illustrates the role of stakeholders in the process of tool refinement as part of early-stage participatory planning. • Water supply planning framework to support participatory planning. • Supports fair and sustainable integration of desalination in regional water supply. • It encompasses both spatial layout and network optimisation planning. • It incorporates environmental, social and economic aspects in planning stages. • The Atacama region (Chile) application illustrates trade-offs of shared solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive planning of water infrastructure systems is crucial to bolster urban resilience in the face of climate change while meeting the needs of rapidly changing urban metabolisms. Urban water systems maintain intricate interconnections with other critical infrastructure domains (CIDs). Multi-sector dependencies and joint management of different CIDs have gained interest in recent research to mitigate undesired cascading effects across domains. Yet, combined modeling and joint simulation of multiple CIDs needs to overcome the limitations of tools and software often siloed to individual infrastructure domains. In this paper, we contribute a systematic review of 24 recent peer-reviewed publications on coupled simulation of urban water systems (water supply and drainage networks) and other CIDs, including energy grids, mobility networks, and IT infrastructure systems, extracted from a larger set of 222 publications. First, we identify trends, modeling frameworks, and simulation software enabling the combined simulation of interlinked CIDs. Then, we define an agenda of priorities for future research. Acknowledging the opportunities provided by open-source tools, data, and standardized evaluation schemes, future research fostering coupled simulation across CIDs should prioritize knowledge transfer, address differences in spatial and temporal dependencies, scale up simulations to a network level, and explore multi-sector interconnections beyond bilateral dependencies. • A systematic review on coupled simulation of Critical Infrastructure Domains (CIDs). • Synthesis of interconnection between urban water and energy, IT, and mobility systems. • Overview of models and software for coupled simulation of interlinked CIDs. • Deduction of a future research agenda establishing priorities for simulating CIDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Water diplomacy is multi-track with informal tracks involving foreign affairs and security actors • Informal water diplomacy has a role to inform and share knowledge on shared rivers • Informal water diplomacy can extend beyond the geographical scope of the river • The efficacy of water diplomacy is related to the political economy of water Water diplomacy is regarded as a means to prevent conflict and to enhance peace through the cooperative management of transboundary water resources. There have been calls for water diplomacy to be given further attention, especially by foreign policy and security specialists, and to be extended to non-state actors through informal dialogue processes. The paper critically questions the qualitative changes water diplomacy delivers and argues for further analytical scrutiny on its efficacy. Using a critical hydropolitics perspective, the paper advances understanding of the way power asymmetries presiding over contested waters are altered or maintained, particularly through informal diplomacy. To exemplify, the paper uses Track 2 diplomacy or an informal dialogue process between non-state actors. Drawing on the case study of the Track 2 process by the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, the paper examines how foreign affairs experts deliberated water security in the Mekong river basin in the face of rapid dam development. The analysis demonstrates that information was forwarded to officials within the ministry of foreign affairs and created alternative knowledge channels, differentiated from networks of water and environmental ministries. Informal diplomacy also enabled downstream states, usually considered to have less influence on issues of water allocation, to exercise power in agenda-setting and influencing the debate. However, flows of finance around dam development within the region made it difficult for informal diplomacy to provide alternatives to existing transboundary water arrangements such that it changes power relations manifested in formal diplomacy. The paper suggests attentive analysis on the links between state and non-state actors through informal diplomacy and the nuanced way resources and networks are mobilised to control water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate adaptation policy in a large river basin is explored. • Empirical study of science and policy interactions during actual reforms. • Interviews with senior research policy professionals reveal dynamics of policy formulation. • Proposes legally prescribed procedures for utilising science in environmental policy formulation. Climate change has many disruptive consequences, particularly in large river basins experiencing drying trends and declining water availability. With pressure for more adaptive policies, understanding how institutions governing water are adapting to climate risks has broad international relevance. This paper examines the challenges of climate risk assessments in Australia's Murray Darling Basin, an economically and culturally important basin where national legislation mandates a Basin Plan based on the best available science. However, despite repeated scientific warnings about a drying climate, the current Basin Plan does not reduce estimates of water resources available, and its climate risk management relies on a bricolage of policy mechanisms, which appear insufficient for the magnitude of predicted changes. This paper outlines the findings of original research exploring why this occurred. It draws on interviews with 30 senior public policy professionals and researchers with deep experience in climate and water policy. The interview data indicate that minimising political risks were the principal reasons for abandoning proposed reductions in entitlements and for relying on historical averages for estimating water availability. As the reform process evolved, decisions about water-planning techniques became increasingly politicised, and the adoption of explicit climate adaptation measures became problematic. As a result, the Basin Plan neither reflects the broad scientific consensus about climate change nor makes specific allowances for declining water availability. Climate risks are downplayed while concerns about levels of scientific uncertainties appear overstated. Importantly, lessons emerge from this examination that could contribute to the revisions of the Plan, scheduled for 2026. More generally, the research finds that proactive climate adaptation policies for large river basins require sustained and well-designed institutional reforms, particularly the adoption of legally prescribed procedures for utilising science - and accounting for its use - in controversial environmental reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the principle of operation of a water heat pump that periodically uses the heat of the phase transition of water to supply the lower heat source. The device was built on the basis of patent no. PL209839. In the patent, the problem of icing of the lower heat source (evaporator) was solved, which caused periodic shutdown of the heat pump in traditional solutions. As a result, there was a break in the heat supply. The phenomenon of icing is analogous to the phenomenon of frosting that occurs in the case of air heat pumps operating during the period of negative outside air temperatures. In this article, a system is proposed that will control the operation of the device based on a calculation algorithm that takes into account the temperature and evaporation pressure. In the case of the analyzed heat pump design solution, these values directly affect the value of the obtained COP energy efficiency coefficient. In addition, the publication specifies the operating factors affecting changes in temperature values and evaporation pressure. They were taken into account during the selection of automation and the algorithm controlling the operation of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A revised temperature model is built to study the thermal stratification. • The reservoir has a reverse thermal stratification and two overturning in a year. • Low water level can weaken the stability and lengthen the spring overturning. • High inflow volume can strength the stability and defer the spring overturning. Thermal structure plays a significant role in the aquatic ecosystem of reservoirs. In this paper, thermal structure of a large reservoir for water supply in northeast China has been studied. Considering the reservoir has a 150 days icebound period and the ice cover can affect the heat transfer process, we built a revised numerical simulation model based on EFDC to study the temporal and spatial variation of thermal stratification. The absolute mean error (AME) and mean absolute relative error (MARE) between modeled and observed water temperature are 0.40 °C and 7.15%, respectively. The results indicate that the validated model can successfully reproduce the temporal and spatial variation of water temperature. The model results indicate that the reservoir has a reverse thermal stratification in icebound season and there are two over-turning events in a year. Six hypothetical scenarios including the extreme change in the air temperature, inflow discharge, and the water level had been built to quantify the influences of changes in climate and hydrology conditions on the thermal structure. This paper provides a simplified method for the simulation of the water temperature in the reservoir with an icebound season, which can provide a reference for other reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We decompose changes in industrial water demand in Scotland between 2012 and 2016. • Changes in sectoral water intensity a key factor explaining fall in water demand. • Role of electricity generation policies aimed at encouraging renewables important. • Future changes in water availability, demand and technologies important to examine. Future climate scenarios predict significant changes in the availability of water resources at global and regional scales. Knowledge of the possible economic consequences of this are limited by a shortage of data linking economic activity with physical water use. Matching a unique premise-level dataset to economic indicators at industrial/sector level, this paper undertakes a decomposition of changes in industrial water demand for Scotland between 2012 and 2016. Results highlight the importance of taking a sectoral approach, as changes in sectoral water intensity are significant. Furthermore, changes in the structure of the economy, i.e. a move away from water-intensive industries, highlight further reductions in overall water consumption. By considering future scenarios for Scottish water resources, this paper identifies key multi-disciplinary research challenges to address the major obstacles in developing a climate-ready water policy, which also captures the potential economic opportunities for Scotland from an awareness of the role of water in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• State control and marketisation in Chinese water governance are complementary rather than contradictory. • China's water reform mirrors its overall economic reform taking an experimental approach. • The state/market dichotomisation has little power to explain complexity of water governance. • Attention to the 'both-and' hybridisation helps better understand the roles of state and market in water governance. • Hybridisation of water governance takes diverse forms shaped by their particular political economies. State/market interactions in water governance have long been interpreted in terms of the contradiction between water as a commons and water as a commodity. Recent challenges to this dichotomisation claim that it cannot provide a useful lens through which to interpret the complexity of water resources and their management. This paper provides evidence from China to show that a dichotomous interpretation of state/market interactions has little power to explain the formulation and evolution of water governance regimes. Through an analysis of China's water policy development over the 1998–2018 period, the paper outlines how state control and marketisation are complementary rather than contradictory, collectively contributing to a governance regime that serves broader political and economic goals as much as water management ones. We argue that better understanding of the roles of state and market in water governance requires moving beyond an 'either-or' point of departure, and paying greater attention to the 'both-and' hybridisation increasingly observed in water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Argues for unpacking of networked infrastructure to access multiple materialities and associated institutions. • Explains interactions and interdependencies between the material aspects, institutions and human agency. • Demystifies the technicalities of networked water infrastructure. • Reveals the role of engineers, planners and network operators in shaping water flows in cities. • Equips advocates of equitable flows to critically engage with technicalities of networked development and operations. Urban scholars striving for equitable distribution of resources have increasingly started paying attention towards a networked infrastructure, as it materialises inequity and shapes the socio-spatial pattern of a city. The paper advances the socio-technical understanding of networked water infrastructure by proposing a framework of unpacking that analytically disaggregates the network to various elements (pipes, pumps, valves etc.) and facilitates an investigation of multiple materialities of the network at a spatial and a temporal scale. The unpacking explains how differentiated water supply provisions are produced within a centralised water supply system of the city by explicitly focusing on materialities of network elements and associated institutions, such as norms, standards, design principles, regulations, standard operating procedures and practices that shape development and use of the networked water infrastructure during planning, designing and implementation and everyday practices of operation and maintenance. The paper applies this framework to the water distribution network of Lilongwe, Malawi to explain what is doable in the network and for whom , revealing engineering practices, inscribing and sustaining discriminatory provisions in the network. I believe this understanding is useful to critically engage with the technical of the networked water infrastructure, particularly for those advocating equitable flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Actual evapotranspiration and water stress during the dry seasons were studied. • The SSEBop model's performance can be improved by readjusting aerodynamic resistance. • All land-cover classes, especially farmland areas experienced severe water stress. Due to the simultaneous impacts of economic development and climate change, the Lijiang River Basin in China—the largest karst tourist attraction in the world—has experienced dramatic water shortages during the dry season. As actual evapotranspiration (ET a) plays a critical role in the water cycle, accurate estimation of ET a and water stress are important for sustainable water resources management. In this paper, we mapped the distribution of daily ET a using a modified Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model in combination with Landsat 8 images and assessed water stress using the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) during the dry season in the Lijiang River Basin. In general, the daily ET a simulated by the SSEBop model with aerodynamic resistance value of 110 s m−1 was higher than that of satellite-based actual evapotranspiration products (i.e., MOD16A2 and Penman-Monteith-Leuning (PML)_V2 actual evapotranspiration products in this study). Aerodynamic resistance plays a critical role in the estimation of energy fluxes in the SSEBop model and should be readjusted and calibrated with available datasets to improve the model's performance in estimating actual evapotranspiration for particular regions. Readjusted values between 20 and 35 s m−1 of aerodynamic resistance produced reasonable agreement with satellite-based actual evapotranspiration products in the Lijiang River Basin. In addition, insufficient ground-level measurements of actual evapotranspiration might have increased the uncertainty of the SSEBop model's performance. The achievement of higher accuracy in the estimation of actual evapotranspiration and water availability will require establishing local flux towers, particularly in forested areas, to collect evapotranspiration, temperature and other in situ data. For different land-cover classes, forest areas exhibited the highest actual evapotranspiration, whereas farmland and built-up areas had the lowest actual evapotranspiration values compared to the other land-cover classes. All land-cover classes, especially farmland areas, experienced severe water stress. Inadequate precipitation as a result of climate change, combined with high actual evapotranspiration will result in less water being available for the Lijiang River Basin. Additional water is required to compensate for evapotranspiration and support plant growth in the Lijiang River Basin during the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we build a water conflict typology and discuss some applications for water resources planning and management. To show how a typology was built we highlight twelve well documented water conflicts historical cases in the semiarid region of Ceará state and water conflicts collectively identified by river basin committee members in four water resources river basin plans. To show how the typology works we applied it to contemporary cases of water conflicts headlined in the national media. Conflicts are separated into component characteristics such as triggers, actors, length, coverage area, mediation arena, and other useful information. As the complexity of social-environmental issues increases new tools for organizing data into useful information increase in demand. We believe that this water conflict typology can be employed as an analytical instrument capable of providing a "bird's-eye view" of diffuse sources of conflict. [Display omitted] • Typologies can play a key role in organizing diffuse but crucial information for water management. • Few typologies focus on water conflicts. • We show how a water conflict typology can reveal patterns that are vital for water management decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper has been meticulously analyzed the relationship between the water pollution and marketization. • The paper used many new methods to analyze the relationship between the water pollution and marketization. • The paper joined the complex network analysis into the spatial econometrics. The paper used the Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM) models, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) models, to measure the water resource utilization efficiency based on provincial panel data from 2008 to 2013 in China. The results show that overall of water resource utilization efficiency has a clear rising trend. Moreover, the results show distinct differences in the water resource utilization efficiency from different provinces in China. The water resource utilization efficiency from the eastern regions is higher than that in other regions. Then this paper used the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) models, the econometric models, to estimate the effect of marketization on the water resource utilization efficiency in China. The regression results show that the marketization has a positive effect on the water resource utilization efficiency in China. Lastly, this paper used the Spatial Error Model (SEM), the spatial econometric models, to estimate the spatial spillover effect of marketization on the water resource utilization efficiency in China. The regression results show that the marketization has a positive spatial spillover effect on the water resource utilization efficiency in China. The economic adjacency matrix was selected to be the spatial weight matrix. In particular, this paper used Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP), the complex network models, to analyze the rationality of spatial weight matrix selection. The results show that selecting the spatial weighting matrix based on economy-spatial distance is reasonable. Therefore, the research finding is that marketization can improve the water resource utilization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper describes the impacts of urbanisation on the water sources of the residents of Mukteshwar in the Kumaon hills of North India. It uses a periurban conceptual lens to understand the changing flows of people and natural resources between Mukteshwar and connecting urban centres. Following land use change, it traces the impacts of these processes on water sources and institutions, and employs a political ecology framing to illustrate how water resources are (re) appropriated. Further demonstrating how the effects of these changes are aggravated by climatic change and variability it describes how these processes impact gender relations around natural resource collection. The paper concludes with identifying some key areas for further research on periurbanisation processes in mountain contexts, focusing on important ideas and concepts that can be relevant in capturing the processes underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper introduces a technique of water management by managing water abstraction along a branch canal. The selected study area is Awlad Sakr District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt and the selected canal is Dafan canal. The paper introduces suitable tools to reduce the gap between demand and supply by managing water abstraction along the branch canals. Different approaches of storage water are applied during this research in order to overcome the shortage of water at the end of the main canal and its branches. The results of this study are summarized that SOBEK program is a good tool to estimate the hydraulic characteristics in open channel under different scenarios. Another result is that Awlad Sakr District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt is an example of farmers depending on drainage water in agricultural irrigation. For management, it is found that case 16.7% storage is the best, for 25% storage the banks in some location needed to be raise, while 33.3% has shortage of water in some locations along the canal, which means that controlling water abstraction can manage the water shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Nature-based solutions (NBS) can alleviate societal challenges. • A concise definition for application of NBS in planning research is given. • Landscape planning provides spatial information for effective design of NBS. • Governance research may identify barriers and opportunities for NBS implementation. • Research needs concern effectiveness, co-design approaches, and implementation. Abstract Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river landscapes, such as restoring floodplains, can not only decrease flood risks for downstream communities but also provide co-benefits in terms of habitat creation for numerous species and enhanced delivery of diverse ecosystem services. This paper aims to explore how landscape planning and governance research can contribute to the identification, design and implementation of NBS, using the example of water-related challenges in the landscape of the Lahn river in Germany. The objectives are (i) to introduce the NBS concept and to provide a concise definition for application in planning research, (ii) to explore how landscape planning and governance research might support a targeted use and implementation of NBS, and (iii) to propose an agenda for further research and practical experimentation. Our methods include a focused literature review and conceptual framework development. We define NBS as actions that alleviate a well-defined societal challenge (challenge-orientation), employ ecosystem processes of spatial, blue and green infrastructure networks (ecosystem processes utilization), and are embedded within viable governance or business models for implementation (practical viability). Our conceptual framework illustrates the functions of NBS in social-ecological landscape systems, and highlights the complementary contributions of landscape planning and governance research in developing and implementing NBS. Finally, a research and experimentation agenda is proposed, focusing on knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of NBS, useful approaches for informed co-design of NBS, and options for implementation. Insights from this paper can guide further studies and support testing of the NBS concept in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Individuals and organisations are pivotal in changing dominant practices in industry sectors by creating system-level conditions that facilitate transformative change. Yet, the types of agency processes best suited to develop such conditions are not well researched. This paper addresses this gap by empirically investigating how institutional entrepreneurs developed transformative capacity in a successful case of dominant practice change: stormwater management with Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) in the urban water management sector in Melbourne, Australia. We identify ten key strategies that institutional entrepreneurs employed to support the successful introduction, diffusion and establishment of WSUD. By interfacing these strategies with a transformative capacity framework, we describe which combinations of strategies are most relevant for developing different transformative capacity domains across three different phases. The paper contributes to theory on transformative capacity in socio-technical and socio-ecological systems research by providing practical guidance on how transformative capacity can be build up and by distinguishing and describing three distinct phases of transformative capacity development (Introductory Capacity, Diffusional Capacity, Establishment Capacity). Highlights • Key strategies for developing transformative capacity in urban water management sectors are identified. • Three distinct phases of transformative capacity development are proposed. • The transformative capacity framework of Wolfram (2016) is operationalised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of the paper is to explore the existing conditions and possibilities for the improvement of co-operation between some Western Balkan states (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Republic of Serbia) which occupy the Drina River basin (DRB). The article analyses the existing international treaties with the purpose of giving an answer to the question whether they present a satisfactory legal framework. It points to the factors which determine co-operation, and explores the possibilities for the conclusion of a new international treaty on the co-operation between the three states. It explores the possibilities for the conclusion of a new international treaty on the establishment of co-operation between the three states, this implying consideration of the reasons for and against the adoption of a separate international agreement on co-operation between the states in the region. The paper considers the thesis on the need for the improvement of co-operation between the DRB states to be based on the concept of integrated water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how much food is wasted in Egypt, and how can we prevent these losses considering wheat crop case study. The main objective is to define and reduce the amount of food losses in Egypt. Official data and a field questionnaire designed to serve the objectives of the analysis showed that the average water losses due to wheat wastage in Egypt (2012–2016) is 6.0 billion m3 from total wheat available for consumption in Egypt. The amount of water losses is considerable. Also, the relationship of the demographic variables of the sample of the study with the presence or absence of loss of wheat bread indicate that there is a statistically significant relation between the demographic variables studied, and the wheat wastage in Egypt. Findings also show that with careful trade and agricultural policy changes, both wasted economic valuable crop and water resources could be better utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water policy decisions are sensitive in countries like Egypt suffering from water shortage, such decisions directly affect the development in all sectors. The problem of not linking water policy decisions to trade priorities and water security is negatively affecting the efficient water use of the country. In this regard, this paper's objective is to study and evaluate water resources utilization in Egypt as case study using the footprint process compared to available water resources performing detailed analysis of the effect of considering water footprint approach in developing water policies and water strategies. Egypt's water footprint was calculated in novel methodology merging different international and national data, then compared to water footprint of different water uses. The results showed that the average Egyptian national water footprint for the years (2012–2016) was 111.05 billion m3, while the average available water resources was 75.66 billion m3, and the average water deficit was 47% of the available water resources and 32% of the total national water footprint. These findings necessitate the need to integrate water resources management policies, agricultural and trade policies to feed in a comprehensive country water accounting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Desalination exposes host communities to hydro-social and environmental impacts. • EIAs are found to de-politicize desalination within the Chilean context. • The regulatory process results in shortcomings in public participation. • Mitigation and compensation plans are inadequate for addressing impacts. • The energy implications of desalinated water expansion are not adequately disclosed. The construction of desalination plants is proliferating worldwide. In Chile, seawater purification technologies are framed as a tool for confronting water scarcity, stabilizing water provision and optimizing overall water availability while minimizing impacts on groundwater resources. Yet, local communities hosting desalination facilities in their territories are still confronting ongoing water-related inequities. The aim of this paper is to analyse how Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Declarations of Environmental Impact (DIAs) fit with the assessment and mitigation of socio-environmental implications of desalination. While they are intended to highlight and minimize negative impacts, and address them as part of the approval process prior to the construction of these facilities, we see instead how they are at times marshalled in ways that enable negative socio-environmental outcomes. Thorough analysis of EIAs (1994–2018) and DIAs (2010–2018) of mining companies in the Atacama region our research revealed shortcomings concerning public participation, mitigation and compensation plans, and water-energy management. This occurs, in part, through the depoliticization (or rendering technical) of desalination, in ways that obscure uneven and negative socio-environmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To bibliometrically analyze karst-related studies from 1990 to 2016. We collected data, and our findings revealed that the number of documents, authors, research institutes, participant countries, and English references dominant increased for karst-related studies. While geology, water resources, and ecology were leading categories of karst-related studies, environmental earth science karst-related papers were the highest. To quantitatively and qualitatively examine karst-related research documents, we used spatiotemporal, international collaboration, yields, and GDP characteristics to determine global trends in karst-related studies. This study provides quantitatively and qualitatively examine karst-related research documents to determine global trends in karst-related studies and the direction of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate change is disproportionately impacting Africa, yet a research gap remains to cope with related societal challenges. • Empirical research among African practitioners shows that societal challenges are not adequately addressed in practice. • Research and innovation efforts are focused on traditional innovation policy dimensions. • Practitioners and experts are calling to strengthen the knowledge base by engaging local stakeholders and private sector actors. While it is increasingly important to strengthen the existing knowledge base in Africa to adequately respond to the rising risks and impacts of climate change on water resources, a significant research gap remains to identify areas and mechanisms to cope with these societal challenges. The aim of the paper is twofold: i) to provide subject-specific insights by analyzing the current knowledge base in Africa given water-related challenges due to climate change, and ii) to offer methodological insights into how a knowledge base can be studied comprehensively. This study overcomes the limitations of existing studies by combining two different perspectives, namely a thematic focus on six societal challenges and a conceptual focus on five social innovation dimensions. It does so by undertaking an innovative qualitative analysis that combines both top-down and bottom-up perspectives. Top-down, it explores the extent to which five social innovation dimensions are included and addressed in policy agendas and action plans. Bottom-up, it explores the perception of African experts and practitioners in how these knowledge gaps should be addressed. The research identifies a strong bias in the policy arena towards water security versus other water-related societal challenges. Our research suggests that rather than focusing on traditional policy instruments, water-related societal challenges should be addressed by joint attention to all five social innovation dimensions. There is a strong call from practitioners and experts towards strengthening the existing knowledge base by engaging local realities and local stakeholders and for the involvement of business and private sector actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy making is a highly interactive process with environmental systems. Evaluation of policy's potential environmental impacts has been regarded as an efficient precautionary measure to avoid unexpected losses and environmental risks. One of the greatest challenges is how to streamline the policy-making process through an integrated evaluation approach. This paper formulated a process-based framework for environmental impact assessment of policy making (PB-EIA), by integrating policy problem identification, environmental impact assessment, and policy cost-effectiveness evaluation. Using China's wastewater resource utilization (WWRU) policy as a case study, the institutional, technological, and economic constraints or limitations related to wastewater resource utilization were identified, and the potential environmental impacts of policy implementation on energy consumption and carbon emissions were evaluated. The expected ecological and environmental benefits of the WWRU policy were supposed to be significant, and the cost of recycled water was relatively low compared with other unconventional water resources in China. Furthermore, significant variations in the environmental impacts and policy effectiveness were found across different sectors and regions. According to the evaluation results, some recommendations for supporting policy improvements and follow-up policy implementations were proposed. The specific technical procedures and application of PB-EIA were also discussed. This study demonstrates that the process-based framework can effectively incorporate environmental considerations into policy-making processes and promote sustainable development. • A process-based framework for environmental impact assessment of policy making (PB-EIA) was formulated. • The PB-EIA integrated policy problem identification, environmental impact assessment, and cost-effectiveness evaluation. • The PB-EIA framework was adopted in China's wastewater resource utilization (WWRU) policy evaluation. • The PB-EIA can help to integrate environmental considerations into policy making processes for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite private actors' losing interest in water utilites globally, they have become increasingly financialized in the past two decades. Puebla's water utility was privatized in 2014, although the majority of the population is poor and adequate water supply and sanitation (WSS) infrastructure has not been in place. Based on empirical research, this paper argues that in order to make sense of these developments, attention must be paid to two fundamental aspects that have so far received little attention in the literature: the subordinated nature of financialization in the Global South and the socio-spatial dimensions of the financialization of WSS. First, we argue that the appropriation of the urban water supply system by financial actors in Puebla is the outcome of a longer and broader process of financialization of the Mexican state and economy that can be characterized as peripheral financialization and that has resulted in the increasing power of elites who accumulate through rent-based activities such as finance and real estate. Second, the mobilization of WSS for financial gain involved the creation of a new urban landscape by powerful local elites, showing how financialization is spatially produced and creates new forms of highly heterogeneous cities. We conclude that the financialization of WSS is particularly profitable in the Latin American postcolonial context, which is characterized by stark inequality and a limited rule of law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to safe water is still a challenge. Millions of people worldwide, mainly in rural and remote regions, still do not have access to safe drinking water. Point-of-use and decentralized water treatment systems have the potential to improve their livelihood, especially if these technologies are combined with the advantages brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This paper presents and discusses opportunities for convergence between water treatment mainly using membrane separation processes and technologies related to Industry 4.0, focusing on a scenario of decentralized systems installed in developing countries. Emphasis is given to membrane-based applications due to their advantages of ease of operation, small area requirements, and reduced implementation time while maintaining a great capacity to produce high water quality regardless of raw water characteristics. Literature suggests that Industry 4.0 can be considered an ally to better support water management in remote and rural regions. Treatment units can now be integrated into digital cyber-physical systems to promote a greater comprehension of local necessities and provide transparent and effective communication, faster actions, or even remote and automatic operation, contributing to the capacitation of local operators and the performance and conservation of the infrastructure. It is also possible to monitor many parameters of water quality, ensuring process integrity and safe water. These advancements may result in affordable, adaptive, and resilient solutions, but it is necessary to consider the perspective of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation – unfortunately, not always present – and the difficulties inherent to developing countries. • Access to safe water is still a challenge in rural and remote regions. • Inherent difficulties in emerging countries may compromise water universalization. • Membrane separation technologies are great decentralized treatment solutions. • Industry 4.0 can be considered an ally to better support water supply management. • Solutions integrated into digital systems can be affordable, adaptive, and resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introducing a look-ahead framework for energy-water microgrids. • Optimizing the final SoC of the storage systems at the end of the first day. • Considering an integrated energy-water structure with emerged technologies. • Proposing a hybrid info-gap/robust uncertainty approach to tackle the uncertainty. Co-optimizing energy and water resources in a microgrid can increase efficiency and improve economic performance. Energy-water storage (EWS) devices are crucial components of a high-efficient energy-water microgrid (EWMG). The state of charge (SoC) at the end of the first day of operation is one of the most significant variables in EWS devices since it is used as a parameter to indicate the starting SoC for the second day, which influences the operating cost for the second day. Hence, this paper examines the benefits and applicability of a look-ahead optimization strategy for an EWMG integrated with multi-type energy conversion technologies and multi-energy demand response to supply various energy-water demands related to electric/hydrogen vehicles and commercial/residential buildings with the lowest cost for two consecutive days. In addition, a hybrid info-gap/robust optimization technique is applied to cover uncertainties in photovoltaic power and electricity prices as a tri-level optimization framework without generating scenarios and using the probability distribution functions. Duality theory is also used to convert the problem into a single-level MILP so that it can be solved by CPLEX. According to the findings, the implemented energy-water storage systems and look-ahead strategy accounted for, respectively, 4.03% and 0.43% reduction in the total cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a framework based on the integration of bottom-up and top-down approaches to assess and quantify the effect of local climate change on carbon and water fluxes in a protected Mediterranean mixed forest. The forest, with an extent of 50 ha, is in a coastal zone and is in decline because of severe summer drought stress. Since 2018, it has been involved in the LIFE PRIMED ecological restoration project. The bottom-up approach used gas exchange measurements and the MOCA model (MOdelling for Carbon Assessment) to quantify photosynthesis and transpiration of the main species in the forest (P. latifolia , P. lentiscus , Q. cerris , and F. angustifolia sub. oxycarpa). The top-down approach used the satellite models C-fix and NDVI-CWS, to quantify and spatialise gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), and evapotranspiration (ETA) at the forest stand scale. The up-scaling process from leaf to forest stand was made possible by calibrating two key parameters: light use efficiency (ε) and vegetation transpiration coefficient (Kc veg). The results indicate a decline in GPP , NPP , and ETA during the study period (2018–2022) due to the summer drought conditions caused by rising temperatures (16.60 °C in 2018 vs. 16.98 °C in 2022), increased vapor pressure deficit, reduced soil water content, and rainfall (1328 mm in 2018 vs. 468 mm in 2022). In 2018, the annual GPP was 1186.83 ± 351.40 gC/m2y, which decreased to 1128.67 ± 331.21 gC/m2y in 2022. During the dry summer period, GPP ranged from 401.76 ± 119.54 gC/m2y in 2018 to 347.39 ± 101.62 gC/m2y in 2022. Annual ETA rates varied between 1184.86 ± 351.86 mmH₂O/m2y (2018) and 1304.92 ± 384.07 mmH₂O/m2y (2022). The summer ETA rates were significantly influenced by drought conditions, decreasing from 638.73 ± 190.67 mmH₂O/m2y in 2018 to 390.35 ± 108.83 mmH₂O/m2y in 2022. Based on the observed trend in other Mediterranean areas, species-specific responsiveness to local climate change suggests that P. latifolia and P. lentiscus , which are better adapted to water-limited environments, could gradually replace Q. cerris and F. angustifolia subs. o xycarpa. This study provides useful quantitative indications for the management and restoration goals of the area and suggests a methodology that can be applicable in several management practices, particularly for small heterogeneous and fragmented forested areas such as the Mediterranean ones. • High temperature and reduced rainfall influence forest carbon and water fluxes. • Soil Water Availability negatively affects GPP, NPP and ETA trends. • Leaf and stand scale data are analysed through bottom-up and top-down approaches. • Specific light use efficiency (ε) and crop transpiration coefficient (K veg) are used to calibrate satellite-based models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the ongoing worldwide efforts directed to achieving environmental sustainability by mitigating environmental challenges and reversing the depletion of the environmental resources, the work presented in this paper has the purpose to identify the most effective solution for ensuring access to good quality drinking water for the localities in the southern part of Constanta County, Romania. At present, the communities in the analyzed area are using drinking water abstracted from ground water sources which have registered continuous quality degradation over the last 30 years, while the water losses in the water supply systems are high. As the existing water treatment facilities are unable to remove the pollutants found in the raw water (ammonia, nitrates, Iron and Manganese), within a complex regional project which aims at the same time for reduction of water losses and reaching drinking water quality compliance, a comprehensive analysis was prepared, in order to identify the most efficient solution for supplying the localities at the border of the Black Sea with sufficient and appropriate quality water. This paper shows the systematic approach used for conducting the options analysis in which there have been considered different applicable solutions ranging from decommissioning the existing sources and construction of a regional water supply local treatment, to keeping the existing sources and construction of new appropriate treatment facilities or blending water from multiple sources. The conducted analysis has revealed that the most feasible option for long term sustainability of water supply is the construction of a regional water supply system supplied by a very good quality wellfield with additional flow input from an existing water treatment plant having spare capacity available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In federations such as the United States, governments at various levels are experimenting with new watershed governance arrangements to protect water quality for both ecosystem health and human consumption. Such arrangements may bring previously uncooperative governments together to credibly commit to resource protection under the auspices of new and intricate formal institutions. Given the risks of cooperation, theory indicates that a robust arrangement will contain means of holding governing actors accountable to each other. This paper examines a purportedly successful case, the New York City watershed governance arrangement, to identify how safeguards against intergovernmental opportunism promote lasting cooperation. Using the qualitative method of process tracing, this paper finds that the New York City watershed governance arrangement uses structural, judicial, and popular safeguards against opportunistic behaviors by governing actors that might threaten the resource or the arrangement. The results indicate that such safeguards are present and interact with other safeguards and rule institutions at the state and federal level to maintain compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban political ecology attempts to unravel and politicize the socio-ecological processes that produce uneven waterscapes. At the core of this analysis are the choreographies of power that influence how much water flows through urban infrastructure as well as where it flows, thereby shaping conditions and quality of access in cities. If these analyses have been prolific in demonstrating uneven distribution of infrastructures and water quantity , the political ecology of water quality remains largely overlooked. In this paper, we argue that there is a clear theoretical and practical need to address questions of quality in relation to water access in the South. We show that conceptual resources for considering differentiated drinking water quality are already present within urban political ecology. We then contend that an interdisciplinary approach, highlighting the interdependencies between politics, power, and physiochemical and microbiological contamination of drinking water, can further our understandings of both uneven distribution of water contamination and the conceptualisation of inequalities in the urban waterscape. We illustrate our argument through the case of water supply in Lilongwe, Malawi. Our political ecology analysis starts from an examination of the physicochemical and microbiological quality of water supplied by the formal water utility across urban spaces in Lilongwe. We then present the topography of water (quality) inequalities in Lilongwe and identify the political processes underlying the production of differentiated water quality within the centralised network. This paper thereby serves as a deepening of urban political ecology as well as a demonstration of how this approach might be taken forward in the analysis of urbanism and water supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There exists controversy and potential conflict over transboundary water-sharing and management of rivers in South Asia. • The article provides a comparative view on water and energy cooperation and discusses its implications. • Water diplomacy in the region is impacted by each country's domestic politics and diplomatic approach, India's hegemonic role, and (lack of) functioning regional institutional frameworks. • Water discourses are heavily securitized; energy is perceived as a commodity of exchange. • Energy diplomacy focussing on mutual benefits and shared interests offers a path for cooperation in other sectors such as water. The last decade has witnessed rapid progress in energy cooperation between the countries of the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) sub-region. Cooperation has been bilateral, with each of the countries entering into separate energy development and trade agreement with India, broadly similar to the water sector where national governments engage bilaterally on transboundary cooperation and dispute resolution. A more recent wave of electrical grid interconnections and hydro-energy cooperation has emerged with governments increasingly shifting from bilateral to multilateral energy-sharing agreements. This trend holds considerable potential for regional transboundary water governance. Based on documentary and media analysis along with interviews of key BBIN policy-makers, we identify and examine in this paper four factors for future progress: 1) technical cooperation can be extended to information-sharing for policies and institutions to regulate and manage water resources; 2) India must seize the opportunities and benefits of enhanced regional leadership in the region; 3) simultaneous informal discussion and diplomatic negotiation of water, energy and their nexus can provide BBIN countries the opportunity to highlight potential gains of cooperation and interstate interdependencies; and 4) regional cooperation can give a strong impetus to nations for advancing structural reforms, building institutions and capacity, developing a shared knowledge base, bridging infrastructural gaps, attracting private sector participation, and addressing poverty alleviation goals including job creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty remains the single most important bilateral agreement on water resources between the two countries. The "Treaty" has not only been durable but has proven to be applicable to environmental challenges not foreseen by its drafters, a function of both its context, treaty design, and recent diplomacy. Its recent extension and further application to binational watershed ecology is affected by its intersection with other binational agreements affecting wildlife and ecological resources and sanitation. This paper examines the application of the 1944 Treaty to the environmental functions of U.S.-Mexico rivers and its relationship with other shared environmental agreements for their potential to strengthen binational environmental management of these transboundary watercourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increasingly, transnational rule-setting also occurs for the mining sector. • Provisions for the protection of water resources are not always included. • Water is mostly treated as a public health concern, sometimes as an economic good. • The cultural dimension of water resources often remains unacknowledged. • Newer certification schemes and guidelines tend to be more comprehensive. This paper investigates how different dimensions of water – water as a public health concern, as an essential prerequisite for producing livelihoods, and as a cultural heritage or an element of spiritual practice – are taken up in international guidelines and certification schemes for the extractive sector. As a notoriously water-intensive economic activity, mining frequently infringes on other forms of water use. Simultaneously, the legal articulations and governance implications of the hydrological aspects of mining are complex, as commercial interactions associated with mining span the globe, governance efforts occur primarily at the national level and negative externalities manifest locally. Increasingly, transnational initiatives play a role in setting rules and norms for 'responsible' or 'sustainable' mining. We assess to what extent these rules and norms take into account the hydrological implications of mining, looking at eight guideline documents and ten certification schemes for mineral extraction that originate from international organizations, corporate groups, or multi-stakeholder initiatives. We then illustrate the influence of transnational institutions in two cases, one in Mongolia and one in South Africa. Our results show that water as a public health concern receives the most attention while water as a cultural heritage is reflected the least. However, all institutions in our sample that were devised over the last two years refer to the different dimensions of water use comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important hydrological changes are observed in Serbia, as well as in many parts of the world. Many national and international projects and studies address climate change and its impact on water resources. Some focus solely on the impact of climate change, while others also assess the impact of land use changes and/or changes in human use of water. Due to differences in climate change and human activities, the different climate and hydrological trends are obtained for the different regions in Serbia. This paper presents the past longterm temperature, precipitation and river discharge trends across Serbia. Second, more important aim of the research, is to assess and forecast average relationships between an increase in air temperature and changes in river discharges and precipitation. This relation could help us to find appropriate regional climate and hydrological models. Even within a single catchment, depending on the regional models used, the initial and other assumptions made, and the impacts assessed, the differences between the results can be small but often significant, too. The reliability of the projections receives little or no consideration. This paper also discusses this topic and attempts to provide some guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross – border water supply is defined as water delivery of drinking water between countries where the complexity of water supply management is increased mainly because of the doubled reality of administrative, legal, accounting and decision-making processes. The paper contributes to a debate about the problem faced by the water sector in general, namely that prices and tariffs are almost universally below the full-cost of supply. This means that inefficiencies exist and needs to be carefully examined based on proper allocation of variable and fixed costs of water abstraction. Analyzed water pricing of existing cross-border WSS clearly demonstrates a wide plethora of applied water pricing approaches mainly based on pure negotiation principles demonstrating different bargaining positions of partners. In order to overcome this situation applicable water pricing principles were analyzed. National guidelines and academic publications endorse two possible approaches: marginal cost approach and recovery of full cost approach. Paper presents the applicability of these approaches for cross-border water supply and provides a practical model for costs’ allocation. The model is demonstrated on a real business case of Slovene water utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure sustainability and reliability of water supply infrastructure, we must apply a basic pre-condition, which is, its continual renewal. For renewal planning, there are many methods, techniques and software tools for decision support, but most of them, in many cases, focus only on water mains. Water supply systems, however, consist of different parts and structures than just water pipes. It is therefore not appropriate to invest in the renewal planning only in relation to one part of the water supply infrastructure. The knowledge of the current technical condition of the water supply infrastructure is crucial to maintain its planned performance and optimise its maintenance and renewal. Effective detailed evaluation of the technical condition requires deployment of specialists, reliable database, considerable amount of time and instrumentation and software. Therefore, it is preferable to perform the first rapid and efficient preliminary identification of problematic areas and elements of water supply systems. This paper presents the methodology and the Technical Energy Audit (TEA Water), the effective preliminary assessment of the technical state of water supply systems (WSS). The paper presents the structure of the proposed technical indicators, the method of their determination and evaluation, including the presentation of case studies of implementing the methodology and software tool in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian government implemented 24x7 water supply projects in few selected cities. These projects were implemented either under Public Private Partnership (PPP) or direct funding by government. However, many projects witnessed failure during later stage of project life cycle. The paper aimed to carry out performance evaluation of implementation of continuous water supply projects against the various risks. The case study research methodology was adopted for the study. Initially, various risks in water supply projects were identified through literature review. Two polar cases were selected for the study, one was implemented under Public Private Partnership (PPP) and other was implemented under direct funding from government budget. The cross case analysis of both cases against the identified risks is presented in the paper. The project under PPP mode could not perform well against risks like consumer risk, revenue risk, financial risk and socio political risk. The result showed that both the projects could not achieve the desired success as planned initially still it can be concluded that continuous water supply projects under government funding performed better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, many water treatment plants face the problems of equipment breakdown and water loss during water production process. A method to solve these problems is to implement Eight pillars strategy (EPS), one of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) strategy to reduce equipment breakdown, decrease water loss and enhance equipment effectiveness. Failure rate (FR), availability (A), performance efficiency (PE), quality rate (QR) were determined by evaluating equipment effectiveness through Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). They were also evaluated to find the entire equipment/plant effectiveness through Net Equipment Effectiveness (NEE). In this study, the chlorinator machines in each couple phase 1&2 and 3&4 at Mahasawat Water Treatment Plant (MHS) were considered as a case study for practicing EPS. The reduction of FR and increase of A, PE and QR were revealed after practicing EPS to chlorinators as evidently evaluated in this paper. They affect to higher OEE and NEE in all couple phases. As a consequence, the chlorinators were able to operate continuously for longer time with high efficiency. The plant can also produce higher quantity of qualified water to customers by monitoring the final water treatment process via Profit Cost (PC). The proposed 17 steps for OEE, NEE and PC evaluations are shown in this paper might be a good approach for other water treatment plant to get higher chlorinator effectiveness and lower water loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]