The New Water Paradigm on Local and National Level Martin Kováč Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia Zaragoza, Spain - August 23, 2008

TOPICS OF THIS PRESENTATION I. ACCELERATION OF WATER, FOOD AND ENERGY CRISIS II. COMPETENCES, TASKS AND ACTIVITIES OF MUNICIPALITIES IN SLOVAKIA III. PRINCIPLES OF INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

I. ACCELERATION OF WATER, FOOD AND ENERGY CRISIS

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE EXTREMES Serious droughts and fires have affected vast regions of all continents Significant increase of heavy floods during the second half of the 20th century Changes of landscapes leads to changes of climate characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystems of regions Impact on our health, economy and quality of life Damages and losses in towns and communities

WATER SECURITY More and more regions has increased demand for water resources due to its growth and face to decrease of available water resources in the landscapes at the same time More water during flood events or heavy rain events does not mean that there is more available water resources in the landscapes - it causes vice versa more damage and instability Reaction on EU level: –Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) –EC Flood Directive (2007/60/ES) and others –White Paper on Adaptation to Climate Change (2008)

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7 – REAL ONE? Ensure environmental sustainability: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving by 2010 a significant reduction in the rate of loss Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

Isolated public policies in areas - water, soil, climate, nature, food, energy, growth and health Value of rainwater underestimated Dramatic and uncontrolled changes of water regime of the continents and its water basins followed by biodiversity and climate changes Absence of sustainable sanitation systems to improve water quality and quality of life Need for integrated and interdisciplinary approach across all the sectors and disciplines NEED FOR HOLISTIC APPROACH

II. Competences, Tasks and Activities of Municipalities in Slovakia

WATER COMPETENCES OF MUNICIPALITIES IN SLOVAKIA Main tasks and competences of the local self- government in Slovakia in water management: to provide safe drinking water (directly or via water management companies) to provide collection and treatment of municipal waste water (directly or via water management companies) to participate on flood prevention and flood management activities

THE ROLES AND ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION protection of interest of its members monitoring of legislation process elaboration of statements and policies negotiations with the government Activities of the association: national research on water resources management in local level via questionnaire development and application of new methodology and theoretical–expert approach expert group meeting and stakeholders meeting

BASIC STATISTICS OF SLOVAKIA Slovakia: km 2 Population:5,379 million inhabitants Number of settlements:2929 –with more than 2000 inhabitants: 416 – 14 % –with less then 2000 inhabitants: 2513 – 86 % Association members: municipalities 96 % of total

KEY EXPERT NA POLICY DOCUMENTS Strategy of The Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS) on Prevention and Defence of Towns and Villages Against Floods (May 2007) Water for the Recovery of the Climate – A New Water Paradigm (September 2007) Principles of Integrated Water Resources Management in Municipalities and their River Basins (May 2008)

FOUR MAIN TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGY IN PRACTICE Local municipalitys project which serves as a tool for preparation and implementation of flood prevention measures on the territory of a municipality ZMOS competence centre, to act as a support, methodological and advisory centre for towns and villages Self administration of river basins as a mean of local municipality cooperation in river basins hydrological boundaries formulation of the new water paradigm

MAIN TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF IWRM Methodology for preparation of integrated water resources management plans of municipalities, including its design, distribution, awareness raising and broad application in practice Projection of IWRM plans of municipalities into municipal strategic documentation - landscape plans, Plans of Economic and Social Development, budgets of towns and villages Decentralised information system for spatial coordination of self administration of river basins, its development and public accessibility Establishment of multi-sectorial coordination bodies for integrated water resources management on the national level, river basin and local level

NATIONAL RESEARCH National research on protection and utilisation of water resources on area of cadastre of municipality via electronic XML and paper questionnaire. The research covers mainly following areas: drinking water delivery and systems sanitation – sewage systems analyse of water basin flood risks management of rivers and flood event

STAKEHOLDERS Citizen sector citizens not for profit institutions home and land owners media Economy sector water management companies landscape architects, civil engineers, planners, architects developers building, equipment, trade, garden and design companies banks and insurance companies Public sector: central governments regional governments municipalities (towns and communities) Institutions of public sector Educational Institutions International Institutions (EU, OSN, others)

THREE FUNCTIONS OF THE LANDSCAPE IN DISTRIBUTION OF RAINWATER AND ITS TRENDS 1.optimally infiltrate water to soil profile and underlay, based on their natural physical parameters – decrease of infiltration 2.create favourable conditions for water evaporation from soil, plants, water bodies and surfaces – decrease of evaporation 3.drain only natural surplus water from basin through river basin network – increase of runoff

CHANGE OF WATER AND RAINWATER MANAGEMENT Existing system of water and rainwater management should be principally changed and respect the following steps: 1.Retention of as much as possible water and rainwater retention in the landscape in situ through: –implementation of surface anti-erosion measures and –implementation of measures to improve water retention capacity of the river basin 2.Water courses shall drain only natural surplus water from the river basin

RAINWATER HARVESTING EXAMPLES Košice Town, Slovakia Košice Water Protocol Water Forest, High Tatras NGO People and Water

TRAINING EXAMPLE – PEOPLES WATER UNIVERSITY improvement of analytical and planning skills of local communities to design and implement area anti-erosion and water retention measures within cadastres of various villages and towns 26 villages and GIS systems involved Project leader: NGO People and Water Slovakia

REGIONAL PLANNING EXAMPLE - TATRAS SCHOOL OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Project partners: NGO People and Water, Slovakia High Tatras Town

Experts of ministries of finance, agriculture and environment, mayors and journalists present 60 participants NATIONAL DEBATE EXAMPLE Information seminar of the association on principles of IWRM integrated water resource management

WEEKLY MEETINGS OF THE WATER POLICY EXPERT GROUP 15 meetings between January and June 2008 Consultations Best practice exchange Policy formulations

III. SOLUTION – INTEGRATED APPROACH

DEFINITION OF INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACCORDING TO NEW WATER PARADIGM Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is a complex process of water resources use and protection which respects water cycle in ecosystems and stability of water regime in the landscape.

Towards rainwater protection and its active utilization in landscapes: Principle of spatial protection of water resources in landscape and prior implementation of spatial flood prevention measures in river basins Principle of respecting importance of rain water as well as the role of landscape in rain water distribution Principle of cooperation and merging land and building owners and co-owners in order to protect and use rain water and protect soil against erosion Principles 1 - 3

Principles Planning processes and reassessment of land changes: Principle of assessment of an impact of planned construction, investment and economic activities on water cycle in landscape Principle of reassessment of present land adjustments which influence water balance and water regime of landscape during future implementation of integrated water resources management

Principles Economical sustainability principles: Principle of sound waste water treatment and economic analysis of the most cost effective system of drinking water supply and waste water treatment and sewage system Principle of water efficiency and water recycling Principle of establishment and implementation of real water pricing

Principle 9 Filling the gap of water policy on local level: Principle of preparation and approval of municipalities integrated water resources management plans as a local part of river basin management planning process

SUMMARY need for reform of EU Common Agricultural Policy, national and local water policies need for reform of EU Cohesion and Territorial policy and national environmental funding policy annual public savings on infrastructure expenditure more than 50 % decrease of extreme weather impacts and loses more economical stability and wider job perspectives both in rural and urban areas increased competitiveness of settlements and regions within whole water basins

THANK YOU! For more information see Martin Kováč