GSLL 1522 - Participatory Water Resource Management

This course will explore important concepts and strategies for successful participatory water conservation strategies to ensure long-term, sustainable solutions to managing water resources effectively in developing and transitional countries. A community-based and participatory approach involving and empowering users and managers of local communities is necessary to balance out the different water needs and demands of available resources.

There are many threats that are contributing to decreased access to water resources worldwide. Overpopulation, falling groundwater tables, the mismanagement of water sources, surface and ground-water pollution, over-extraction, decentralized governments, and the varied interests of various multistakeholders are all challenges resulting in a severe decline in available water resources. Millions in both urban and rural communities worldwide are becoming vulnerable to water scarcity, social exclusion from access to water, polluted water sources and water-borne diseases.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Gain insight on local and global perceptions and approaches to participatory water resource management and apply this directly to their institutions
• Work with communities using tools such as social asset mapping to identify value-based water and sanitation priorities and implement these into their community development plans
• Deliver training and develop capacity of local communities
• Understand how to integrate users and managers of local communities, government bodies, and various stakeholders into all components of effective water management plans
• Learn from successes and failures in the context of both rural and urban communities worldwide
• Utilize peer to peer exchanges of problems and solutions will enhance knowledge and enhance skills