Transcript Document

Jamaica Institute of Engineers
Caribbean Infrastructure Conference
September 21-22, 2011
“Developing Sustainable Infrastructure”
“Exploring the State Of Development
of Water Resources Management in
Jamaica"
Herbert Thomas
1
Jamaica’s Water Problems,
Can we solve it?
2
Aim of Presentation
To increase awareness of:
 The current Water Resources Status;
supply development Challenges and
Opportunities
 IWRM approach to sustainable water
resource management and development
 Current IWRM status
 Gaps affecting implementation
 Way forward
3
Current water resources status
(National outlook)

MCM
4000.0
3500.0
3000.0
2500.0
2000.0

3929.7
1500.0
1000.0
902.6
1203.0
500.0
0.0
910.2
Demand
Allocated

Exploitable
Potential

Environmental demand
The exploitable potential about
1100 times Mona reservoir’s
capacity
The nationally exploitable water
resources is sufficient to meet the
current total demand of 1813
MCM/y (includes environmental
demands) and the estimated
demands for year 2025 of 1294
MCM/y
The surplus is more than 50% of
the exploitable potential.
Over allocation of the resource for
sector needs approx 290 MCM
Based on the above there should be
no water shortage or scarcity.
4
Current water resources status
(Basin/WMU outlook)
southern demands exceed
that of the northern basins
 water shortage problem in the
Kingston Basin
 shortage in the Rio Cobre
Basin by 2025 given demand.
 Inter basin transfer between
southern basins only
redistribute the scarcity in the
long run
 exploitable surplus greater on
the northern side. Those
mainly groundwater fed rivers
reliably yield approx 900 MCM
This could augment supplies in
the south to meet all current
and future demands.

5
The supply development Challenges

Topographic constraints;
North-south basin transfer
affected by E-W mountain ridges.

Hydrogeologic constraints;
groundwater aquifers cover 66%
of island and hence high energy
dependence for water supply
development.

Energy Costs Constraints
increasing energy cost over last 3
decades, 25% increase in oil price
last year.

Climate Change Impacts
reduction in quantity and quality of
exploitable potential due to
reduced rainfall and sea level rise
with increased total demands due
to temperature/evaporation
increase.
6
Opportunities

The reliable surface flows in the north exceeds
the national demands and requiring little
storage.

There is hydropower potential from surface
water sources to support reduced energy cost.

Inclusion of improved land zoning to minimize
energy requirement be made into policy.
7
……Ad-Hoc Crisis Management
won’t solve it.
….. IWRM Approach Will
8
Integrated Water Resources Management
IWRM is a means of achieving three key strategic objectives:
Efficiency,
given scarcity of resources
- important to maximise the
economic and social benefits
Equity in the allocation
-reduce conflict
- promote sustainable development.
Environmental sustainability
-water resources base and ecosystems
are not infinitely robust
- should not be put at risk
9
Integrated Water Resources Management Concept
1. -Fresh water is finite,
vulnerable, essential to life,
development and environment
2. -Participatory approach at all
levels
3. -Central role of women
4. Water as an economic good
Dublin Statement (1992)
“IWRM is the coordinated
development and management of
water, land and related resources
in order to maximise economic
and social welfare without
compromising the sustainability of
ecosystems and the environment”
Integrated
WRM
(Global Water Partnership, 2000).
10
IWRM Framework
A set of “tools” organised under 3 fundamental
elements:
A. The Enabling
Environment
B. Institutional
Role
A1
Policies
A2
Legislative Framework
A3
Financing And Incentive
Structures
B1 Creating organizational framework
B2 Building Institutional Capacity
http://www.gwptoolbox.org
11
IWRM Framework
C. Management
Instruments
C1 WATER RESOURCES ASSESSMENT
C2 PLANS FOR IWRM
C3 EFFICIENCY IN WATER USE
C4 SOCIAL CHANGE INSTRUMENT
C5 CONFLICT RESOLUTION
C6 REGULATORY INSTRUMENT
C7 ECONOMIC INSTRUMENT
C8 INFORMATION EXCHANGE
C9 ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS
12
What is the current IWRM
Status?
13
Enabling Environment
Source: Report; Cooperative Strengthening of National Institutions to enhance Integrated Water Resources
Management, NATIONAL STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP, JAMAICA – MARCH 12, 2002
14
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE
15
Management Instrument
C5,C6
C2
C1,C3
C8
C4,C7
16
IWRM INVESTMENTS
IWRM
APPROACH
‘soft' (institutional)
–
–
–
–
–
policy
plan
legal environment,
robust institutions
stakeholder participation.
‘hard’ (infrastructure)
– flood water control
– abstraction, storage
and treatment,
– conveyance and
distribution
– sanitation,
– reuse, recycling and
disposal.
17
Gaps

Largest obstacle to IWRM
adoption is the lack of the
institutional structure to
facilitate coordination

Policy/legislation revision to
ensure land/water
developments compatible with
IWRM.

Inadequate investment in
development aspect of IWRM
(hard infrastructure)
“IWRM is the coordinated
development and
management of water,
land and related resources
in order to maximise
economic and social
welfare without
compromising the
sustainability of
ecosystems and the
environment”
18
The Way Forward

Fast tract establishment of
Apex Body for IWRM
coordination

Review/Upgrade V2030 water
sector roadmap (ensure
theory of change
identifiable)

Assess/invest in
appropriate water
infrastructure (if we are to
manage climate variability in
time and space and to adapt
to climate change).
V2030 Water Sector Plan
19
END
20
21
Source: ‘Domestic Water Supply & Energy Cost the National Perspective’ Lewis A. Lakeman, Billy Meikle NWC
22
24 -25, 2010, power point presentation at IWRM Symposium