An institutional perspective on local capacity for source water protection

Provision of safe drinking water is one of the global challenges of the 21st century. Effective water treatment is a key aspect of drinking water safety. However, just as important is ensuring that sources of drinking water such as rivers and aquifers are protected from contamination. In that context, source water protection is recognized as the first barrier in a multi-barrier approach to drinking water safety. Source water protection occurs at the local scale, and involves numerous local actors with varying capabilities. Consequently, institutional arrangements (IAs) for land use planning and water management are key determinants shaping local capacity for source water protection. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the extent to which existing IAs enhance or constrain the capacity of local governments to protect source waters. An evaluation framework, developed around four core elements drawing from functional and relational perspectives on capacity and capacity building, was applied to the Oldman River basin, Alberta. Results showed that local capacity for source water protection is constrained by existing IAs that do not encourage the generation of a locally relevant technical knowledge base and which assign legal authority for regulating intensive livestock operations to the provincial government. Formal mechanisms for integrating land use planning and water management, which could help overcome these functional constraints and provide opportunities for broad public involvement, have yet to be developed in Alberta. Meaningful participation can provide local governments with an ability to encourage source protection on private lands and enhance their leverage when confronting public land and livestock production issues. However, if local capacity is to be facilitated through IAs that encourage interaction among local governments, stakeholders and residents, then capacity building initiatives should also take into consideration how existing IAs help to maintain and to reproduce local power differentials.