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This paper aims to understand the national-level policy change that occurred in Brazilian drought management, whereby the policy shifted from reactive crisis management to a drought preparedness approach. We found that a combination of factors supported the policy change, such as the interplay of multiple drought events in different regions of the country, the length and timing of these events, attention paid to the issue, and the role of policy entrepreneurs and political entrepreneurs in connecting solutions to the problem. The analysis is based on the multiple streams framework (MSF), which includes two windows of opportunity: an agenda window, to account for the juncture at which the drought issue appeared on the political and public agenda; and the decision window, when a drought preparedness instrument was designed and adopted. We contribute to the literature on policy change in the wake of a disaster by showing how a long-duration event sparked policy change and by shedding light on the role of creeping crises as focusing events; and we contribute to the MSF literature by analytically distinguishing the features of the agenda and the decision window and by applying the theory to a Latin American context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic water management on a river basin scale requires the inclusion of stakeholders from different sectors and the use of methodologies based on scientifically sound models and techniques, keeping in mind that the power of smaller and larger subgroups of stakeholders should be equal. In this paper, we present an approach to tackle this problem based on two Social Choice Theory (SCT) methods: preferential Borda Count and no-preferential Approval voting method. Two different scenarios of grouping members of the water committee of the San Francisco River Basin in Brazil are simulated, by interested sectors and by interested delegates from the states where the river passes through, five long-term management plans are evaluated and voted in either scenario. Results indicated that if members of the committee demonstrate reasonable competency and consistency while setting their judgments on management plans, the final group decision is the same or similar, regardless the method used. One of the conclusions is also that the voting of small subgroups may have the same power as the voting of a large subgroup in the social choice-based decision-making processes. SCT methods can thus be recommended as an equity framework to empower small groups in selecting long-term water management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an adaptation of the Rural Water Sustainability Index (RWSI) to the Brazilian Amazon region. Policymakers can use this tool to identify areas of water stress and develop actions to guarantee water access to rural communities. Multicriteria analysis and a geographical information system were integrated to incorporate various indicators and produce maps displaying spatial water sustainability levels in rural communities. The RWSI was employed on a case study at 16 rural communities in Santa Luzia do Pará, Pará, Brazil. In total, 380 closed and structured interviews were conducted with people living in the area to collect local information for the model application. The results showed a varied spatial behavior between rural communities of Santa Luzia do Pará, with similarities and differences based on the overall condition of water resources (final index values). Half of the locations had ‘Poor’ or ‘Poor-Medium’ water quality. The remaining sample obtained scores ranging from ‘Medium-Good’ to ‘Good’ water sustainability. RWSI scores varied widely (from 5.7 to 6.5) among the communities. It was also found that localities more distant from surface water presented more water stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poorly designed policies jeopardise ecosystems and their services and the expansion of basic services to vulnerable populations. In the water and sanitation (WatSan) sector, inadequate access of the urban poor to formal and public drinking water supply and sanitation services (WSS) calls for more inclusive policies. Inclusive development (ID) has social, environmental and relational dimensions. However, there is little research on operationalising ID dimensions in WatSan policy discourse analysis. Hence, this paper addresses: How can we elaborate on indicators for inclusive WatSan policies? How can these be applied to assess the design of Brazilian WatSan policies? It examines the literature on ID and WatSan, develops and applies an analytical framework with six indicators to assess ID in WSS through policy analysis: access to minimum WSS; access to WSS even if the urban poor do not have formal housing; domestic wastewater collection/treatment; water availability; participation; and WSS subsidies for low-income people. Comparison between two Brazilian WatSan policies shows that the current WatSan law scores higher on ID than the previous law but neglects key aspects of social, environmental and relational ID dimensions. The selected indicators were useful to operationalise ID in WatSan policy discourse analysis and can boost policy design assessment elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements have been used all over the world to develop infrastructure and provide public services. The principle of this procurement option seems sound. It consists of obtaining a (private) partner who makes the upfront initial investments, manages the infrastructure that will be paid for during its lifespan and assumes all of the corresponding responsibilities. However, the empirical world has proven that frequently results are different from those expected and that the price to pay for service is greater than predicted and sometimes even greater than when traditional public works are involved. With respect to the use of PPP projects, Brazil is no exception. Currently, it is making one of the biggest PPP investments in the world. This paper discusses the use of the PPP model in the Brazilian water sector, its pros and cons and the existing dangers. It also makes some recommendations to improve these contracts. Although the balance seems positive, this research provides some evidence of room for improvement because preliminary studies and procurement documents are seldom well prepared, there is little competition, the risk matrix is unbalanced, favoring renegotiations and the private sector, and contract management is inadequate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the authors' reflections regarding the collaborative studies and discussions on water resources among researchers from Thailand and Brazil. First, the similarities and differences between the countries regarding water resource management and policies are noted. Subsequently, the experiences and challenges of both countries in the negotiated allocation of water resources are discussed. Finally, the researchers comment on the current proposed draft of Thailand's water law based on the experience in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public sector planning, especially in developing countries, is both a theoretical and methodological challenge that is particularly important with regard to the field of environmental sanitation. This field is dominated by a technical vision that often ignores the complexity of the real world and the human dimension influenced by its actions, as opposed to a strategic one. This paper discusses the preparation of the Brazilian National Basic Sanitation Plan (Plano Nacional de Saneamento Básico -- PLANSAB) with a particular focus on its future scenario construction phase, which was primarily based on Situational Strategic Planning and prospective methods. Three scenarios were developed in a participatory process that consisted of several steps and involved various social actors, including governmental officials and authorities, informed by a team of experts in charge of the whole planning process. During the process, 10 extrinsic and intrinsic factors influencing the sector were considered, which led to the generation of a set of macro directives, strategies and targets for the expansion of access to water supply, sanitation, solid waste management and urban storm water management over the next 20 years. PLANSAB was able to overcome many of the criticisms that are typically raised with regard to traditional planning, although, as with any political process, it will not be immune from inertial factors that may create obstacles during the implementation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on field investigations of initiatives to increase stakeholder participation in water management in Brazil and India, this paper provides insights into the practice of water sector reforms. Looking at the pace of reforms across both countries, we find that the process of creating institutions to facilitate stakeholder participation is proceeding rapidly but greater attention is required on administrative reforms and capacity building. We find that the supply and demand of participation opportunities is often mismatched, and that participation reforms in the water sector may follow two very different paths: the bureaucratic and the entrepreneurial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers should be aware of the potential trade-off between environmental effectiveness and competitiveness concerns involving water charge implementation. This trade-off can be particularly important in countries such as Brazil, which adopt a decentralized and participative water management approach through River Basin Committees. In such a regulatory framework, it is crucial for the consensus reaching process to evaluate in advance potential impacts of water charge schemes. This paper aims at assessing the economic and environmental impacts of industrial water charges in Brazil. The analysis is based on a survey of 488 plants located within the Paraíba do Sul River Basin. The survey indicates that a significant proportion of the industrial plants approves the water charge mechanism and that increasing water costs are already inducing them to undertake conservation measures. Simulations based on an econometric water demand model suggest that water charges can induce significant industrial water demand reductions with limited impact on firms' costs. Regarding pollution control, the estimated marginal effluent treatment costs are far above the current values established for the pollution-related component of the water charge. These results indicate that competitiveness conflicts will not necessarily pervade the political economy of water charges in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses certain issues related to groundwater management within the context of the Brazilian national policy for water resources management. In order to investigate the importance of this water supply source, we interviewed groundwater users in the city of São Paulo, where some 57% of the total water supply comes from this source, and surveyed some of the factors affecting the use of this alternative. These include the existence of a good supply of groundwater, an inadequate public water supply system unable to meet user demands, the degradation of flesh water sources and the reduction in costs involved. Preliminary conclusions suggest the inadequacy of the present system of water resources management, which has not yet integrated the use of groundwater reserves into an overall national program for water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]