Water governance challenges at a local level: implementation of the OECD Water Governance Indicator Framework in the General Pueyrredon Municipality, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

MARTÍN VELASCO, MARÍA JOSÉ; CALDERON, GABRIELA; LIMA, MARÍA LOURDES; MATENCÓN, CECILIA LUCÍA; MASSONE, HÉCTOR ENRIQUE

WATER POLICY

I W A PUBLISHING

Año: 2023 vol. 25 p. 623 - 638

1366-7017

Considering that the current water crisis is largely a governance crisis, improving water governance will help to address currentand future water challenges. Water governance is defined as the range of political, institutional and administrative rules, prac-tices and processes through which decisions are taken and implemented, stakeholders can articulate their interests and havetheir concerns considered, and decision makers are held accountable for water management. The Water Governance Principlesproposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) contribute to the creation of tangible publicpolicies oriented toward effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and participation. The aim of this research is to apply the OECDWater Governance Indicator Framework at a local level and to identify gaps and challenges for water governance in the GeneralPueyrredon Municipality (GPM), Buenos Aires Province (BAP), Argentina. This framework was used as a diagnostic tool to assesswater governance policy frameworks (what), institutions (who) and instruments (how). In general terms, there is a robust legalframework, there are enforcement institutions regarding water management and there is a good connection with them. How-Q2 ever, the main challenges identified were in the ‘how’, since most of the instruments are partly or not implemented