Category: Water and Development

LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR METRO MANILA’S IMPOVERISHED HOUSEHOLDS

Torio C, P.(2018). Leveling the playing field for metro Manila’s impoverished households. Water Policy 20(3)

Abstract

Metro Manila’s water privatization is one of the world’s largest and longest-running privatization programs for a water utility. While traditional efficiency metrics show significantly improved service levels under this schema, local anti-privatization activists maintain that the program does not benefit the urban poor. Assessments from an equity lens offer a fresh perspective, using information from a consumer survey of 53,733 residential households, privatization reports, and field interviews. Results show that access and affordability remain critical concerns for impoverished urban households despite major service improvements. Philippine policy makers must address these twin concerns in order to ensure a level playing field for these vulnerable households.

 

WATER MATERIALITIES AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT: TESTING THE IMPLICATIONS OF WATER ACCESS AND QUALITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN GHANA AND SOUTH AFRICA

Harris, L.M., Kleiber, D., Rodina, L., Yaylaci, S., Goldin, J. & Owen, G. (2017). Water materialities and citizen engagement: testing the implications of water access and quality for community engagement in Ghana and South Africa. Society & Natural Resources 31(1):89-105. Preprint PDF of the article here 

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY WITH NOVEL DIAGNOSTICS POLICY BRIEF OF THE WATERSHED METAGOMICS GE3LS TEAM

Harris, L.M., Prsytajecky, N. et al. (2017). Improving Water Quality with Novel Diagnostics. Policy Brief of the Watershed Metagenomics GE3LS team. Program on Water Governance Policy Brief. Preprint of the policy brief here 

Scientists at universities and public health institutions across Canada, including the BC Centers for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, are using metagenomics to study the microbial communities in the water in order to develop new tests to assess water quality. Metagenomics has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of how perturbations in these microbial communities are linked to water quality with ramifications for drinking water and other applications. Although chemical pollution is not a focus of the current research, the state of these microbial communities can also indicate whether chemical or other contamination has occurred (e.g., temperature or other biophysical changes also shift the composition and function of these microbial communities).

Compiled by:

GE3LS Research Team: Dr. Leila Harris and Dr. Natalie Prystajecky (CoChairs), Dr. Natalie Henrich, Dr. Bev Holmes, Dr. Karen Bakker, Gemma Dunn, Ida Ngueng Feze, Dr. Yann Joly, Prof. Bartha Knoppers, Stanislav Birko, Edward S. Dove, Dr. Vural Ozdemir. Watershed Metagenomics

Project leaders: Dr. Patrick Tang and Dr. Judith Isaac-Renton

University of British Columbia, June 16, 2017

 

Water, Equity and resilience in South Africa: future directions for research and practice

Rodina, L., Baker, L.A., Galvin, M., Goldin, J., Harris, L.M., Manungufala, T., Musemwa, M., Sutherland, C., Ziervogel, G. (2017). Water, Equity and resilience in South Africa: future directions for research and practice. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 26-27, 143-151. Preprint PDF of the article here.

Contemporary Water Governance in the Global South: Scarcity, Marketization and Participation

New book out:  Harris, L., Goldin, J., Sneddon, C. (2013). Contemporary Water Governance in the Global South: Scarcity, Marketization and Participation. Routledge, London. Order your copy here.

This book focuses on three major concepts and approaches that have gained currency in policy and governance circles, both globally and regionally—scarcity and crisis, marketization and privatization, and participation. It provides a historical and contextual overview of each of these ideas as they have emerged in global and regional policy and governance circles and pairs these with in-depth case studies that examine manifestations and contestations of water governance internationally.