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Water Resources Demand Management Assistance Project : OUTLINE

The project aimed to support the reforms required by the 2002 Chinese Water Law which has been enacted to, amongst other aspects, improve livelihoods through equitable access to and sustainable use of water resources, particularly for poorer people..

Water scarcity combined with over-exploitation of the available resources threatens Chinas sustainable development. Rapid economic growth has led to over-commitment of available surface water resources, overdraft of groundwater resources in many areas and unreliable access to water all affecting the livelihoods of many particularly rural and poor people and especially in northern China..

The Central Case Study: Documentation and nationwide promotion of best practices in IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management) was implemented by Department of Water Resources (DWR) within the Ministry of Water Resources. The case study provided direction and guidance to Gansu and Liaoning provinces on interpretation of the 2002 Water Law and its application in the case studies in the two provinces. DWR throught he CPMO monitored implementation and when observing good practices assisted the case study teams in presenting the information in formats that are suitable for dissemination, promotion and replication nationwide.

Case study Gansu 1: IWRM planning for Shiyang River Basin (SRB) applied the IWRM principle of water resources management in the context of a medium sized river basin. The planning process was used to develop the mandate and capacity of the newly formed Shiyang River Basin Management Bureau (SRBMB) and hence strengthened the organisation. The case study introduced international practices for river basin organisations, built commensurate capacity in water resources planning and management at the river basin level and encouraged communication with municipalities, Wuwei and Jinchang Municipalities being selected as the case study examples as well as county level organisations.

Case study Gansu 2: Water saving society initiatives in Wuwei and Jinchang were supported by the Project and assisted Wuwei (2B) and Jinchang (2A) Municipalities, which are the principal administrative units within SRB, regulating water use within their administrative boundaries in order to achieve a long term sustainable balance between the available water resources, the current use of water and the projected future demands for water.

Case study Gansu 3: Shared water management in Minqin) practices assisted Minqin County and Water User Associations in selected rural communities to develop a model for increased community and user participation in management of water resources and water delivery as close to users as possible particularly related to irrigation water usage. The area has suffered from severe groundwater overexploitation and encroaching desertification - project activities were directed at addressign these issues and supporting local intiatives such as the introduction of strict control over abstraction quantities linked to improved water abstraction permit management systems.

Case study Liaoning 1: IWRM planning for the upper Daling river basin assisted Chaoyang municipal Water Affairs Bureau (WAB) apply IWRM planning in the upper Daling river basin, which mainly lies within the municipality. The case study focussed on the planning functions of a large municipal WAB in the absence of a river basin organisation. The case study developed improved communication channels upward with the provincial Water Resources Department, horizontally with other municipalities and downwards with counties and communities in the municipality.

Case study Liaoning 2: The original aim of integrated water abstraction and wastewater discharge permitting in Chaoyang) was revised to principally improve co-operative arrangments between the municipal Water Affairs Bureau (WAB) and Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) - linking the permitting of water abstractions and wastewater discharges. The process aimed at strengthening the sense of shared responsibility for regulation of water use and water quality management in accordance with the objectives for functional use of water sources and receiving waters as defined in the river basin planning and pollution control.

Case study Liaoning 3: Water tariff reform and efficiency in Beipiao assisted Beipiao County WAB, Beipiao Water Supply Company (WSC) and selected urban communities to develop a model for sharing of responsibilities and functions in the future management and delivery of urban water supply services. The activities included a program for tariff reform and water savings in the WSC with a strong focus on institutional development. Although many dimensions of improved corparate management and improved water management practices were explained and demonstrated, the degree of take-up and change was limited owing to inherent inertia and the difficulties in effecting change in established organisations.