Water governance is one of the most critical areas through which to improve the sustainable development of water resources and services. It refers to the political, social, economic, and administrative systems that influence water’s use and management.

Water governance is one of the most critical areas through which to improve the sustainable development of water resources and services. It refers to the political, social, economic, and administrative systems that influence water’s use and management.

Water governance is essentially about who gets what water, when and how, and who has the right to water, its related services, and their benefits. Good water governance is key to achieving water security, fairly allocating water resources and avoiding disputes.

How societies choose to govern their water resources and services has profound impacts on people’s livelihood and the sustainability of water resources. Access to water is a matter of daily survival and can in many cases help to break the vicious circle of poverty. Improving water governance is therefore essential to alleviating global poverty.

Sound governance of water resources is also essential for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, as inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation are some of the greatest threats to public health and a major obstacle for sustainable social and economic development.

There are many challenges to be tackled

Poor resource management, corruption, inappropriate institutional arrangements, bureaucratic inertia, insufficient human capacity, and shortages of finances for investments all undermine the effective governance of water. These challenges must be addressed by governance reforms.