Water-conservation policies in perspective: insights from a Q-method study in Salta, Argentina

Narratives and discourses on issues such as water management and other complex social-ecological systems respond partly to people's worldviews or social perspectives. Knowledge of these perspectives might help increase the rate of success of specific initiatives related to water conservation an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water policy 2014-01, Vol.16 (5), p.897-916
Main Authors: IRIBARNEGARAY, M. A, DE LA ZERDA, M. F. E, HUTTON, C. M, BRANNSTROM, C, LIBERAL, V. I, TEJERINA, W, SEGHEZZO, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Buildings. Public works
Campaigns
Citizen participation
Conservation
Consumption
Discourses
Distribution. Storage
Environmental policy
Exact sciences and technology
Governance
Ignorance
Interest groups
Narratives
Policies
Public participation
Sewerage. Sewer construction
Social-ecological systems
Success
Water
Water availability
Water conservation
Water consumption
Water governance
Water management
Water meters
Water resources management
Water rights
Water supply. Pipings. Water treatment
Water utilities
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Summary:Narratives and discourses on issues such as water management and other complex social-ecological systems respond partly to people's worldviews or social perspectives. Knowledge of these perspectives might help increase the rate of success of specific initiatives related to water conservation and could be an important tool to improve water governance. A study performed in the city of Salta, Argentina, revealed the existence of four social perspectives on issues related to water management. Perspectives were obtained with Q methodology by interviewing 29 local stakeholders. Participants sorted 68 statements organized around four themes (service provider; water rights; public participation; water availability) according to their degree of agreement or disagreement. The findings support our contention that there are clear links between social perspectives and the rate of success of some water policies implemented by the local water utility in the past 15 years, in particular the promotion and use of household water meters and awareness campaigns launched to reduce water consumption. We show that the limited success of these initiatives was partly due to ignorance or disregard of social perspectives on water management.
ISSN:1366-7017
1996-9759
DOI:10.2166/wp.2014.159