WATER COALITION

Water presents a political, economic, cultural and social challenge around which the contourd of tomorrow's Europe are being drawn. It is part of the shared heritage of nations .
Its rational management based on participation is a vital factor for democracy and sustainable development. With a view to establishing a frame of reference, the representatives of civil society, citizens, users, technitians, researchers, businesses and non-governmental organisations, in collaboration with their institutional partners, have established a consensus around the principles contained in the Strasbourg Declaration.
This was conceived at the Strasbourg European Forum and will be a source of inspiration for the European Water Solidarity Network.


II - The Major Challenges

1. Water Democracy
The democratic management of water should be developed by means of participatory and transparent practices and representatives of water users should have a say in the work of institutions responsible for its management.
It is necessary to:

• acknoledge that the sharing of the "common heritage" represented by water resources prohibits its appropiation by the private sector or the state;
• apply the principles of good governance so that the public authorities will ensure a fair apportionment of water for all users;
• ensure that citizens are protected and represented in the decision making bodies of water services;
• encourage transparent and dynamic relations between those concerned by means of a communication strategy based on exchanges of knowledge.

2. Protecting water resources
This protection requires integrated management based on respect for the integrity of ecosystems. The heritage value of water should be borne in mind and the principle of precaution applied. This calls for proper knowledge of the requirements of the various users so as to improve the definition of priorities, particularly in the field of public health.
This means:

• coming to terms with the idea that water can only be protected if harmony is achieved between the natural environment and human activities ;
• assessing the ecological, social and economic consequences of transferring water from one catchment basin to another ;
• including the economic value of natural environments in the costs of water use ;
• encouraging the transnational management of water resources.

3. Water services for a fair economy
Water is also a social capital asset whose management must comply with certain criteria of economic efficiency. This does not mean that it should become a source of speculative profits. The technical and economic viability of water-related infrastructure and employment should be guaranteed. Technical and financial choices must take account of criteria of social and political acceptability.
This means:

• striking the right balance between economic responsibility and decision-making powers, by maintaining, as far as possible, the responsibility of local elected representatives and avoiding the privatisation of capital assets;
• facilitating the financing of projects which benefit small and medium-sized co-operative, mutual and municipal enterprises which create jobs;
• offering water users the means of comparing traditional techniques with suitable alternatives which respect the diversity of management models;
• giving an economic value to services that encourage a sparing use of water and monitoring the system used to charge for water consumption.

4. Water as a factor in local and regional planning
Water policies must take account of local and regional planning as well as land ownership and use, particularly in connection with watercourses and international groundwater.
The following action should therefore be taken:

• promoting the co-ordination of regional administrative activities and joint river basin management;
• establishing machinery for managing demand that allows a balance to be maintained between water resources and their uses;
• encouraging the adoption of legislation on rights and duties relating to water;
• promoting the introduction of economic incentives offering reciprocal long-term advantages for all the parties concerned.

5. Water: the lessons to be drawn
Information about water needs to be passed on to the widest possible audience. The European Forum and European Water Solidarity recognise the joint and several responsibility of all, including the media. It therefore recommends:

• providing for educational, awareness-raising and information activities;
• giving priority to capacity building in order to develop: - human capacities,
  - social capacities for fostering the cultural dimension of water resources,
  - institutional capacities with an emphasis on performance, transparency and long-term viability;
• fostering concerted action-research;
• developing exchanges and collaboration between the European Water Solidarity Network and the various global partners in water management.