Governance Conditions for Improving Quality Drinking Water Resources: the Need for Enhancing Connectivity

Realising the water quality objectives of the European Water Framework Directive have appeared to stagnate over the last decade all across Europe because of their highly complex nature. In literature, governance approaches tend to be regarded as the best way of dealing with complex water issues, but so far little empirical evidence has been reported on this perspective in regard to water quality issues and thus identifying relevant interventions for both policy makers and other stakeholders. In this paper we have analysed how conditions of governance contribute to the realisation of water quality objectives at different types of drinking water resources in the Netherlands. The water quality challenges at these resources, nitrates, pesticides, industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals, can be recognized in other European countries as well. The analysis demonstrates the importance to enhance connectivity between institutional levels and upstream regions based upon the characteristics of the water system and driving forces for water quality and thus involve the actors that have the authority and the means to take effective measures. The two other important conditions of governance approaches for water quality improvement which were identified are the use of joint fact-finding to gain a shared perception of risks, and the use of explicit decision-making and close monitoring of outcomes (re. water quality improvement).