How the policy of the water is specified?
7 May 2014
Dursun YILDIZ
Hydropolitics Expert
Water problem for living creatures in essence is an access problem to water. Water-access problem on the other hand is actually a legal, in the last analysis a political problem!
It is possible to divide the factors specifying “Water Policies” into two groups as of technical and political. Global scientific and engineering rules operate in the technical side of the issue.
When it comes to political side, things are not clear as it was in technical side. For instance, the term “policy” is used in two meanings in Turkey as of “policy” and “politics”. “Policy” actually defines the ways to do the things in a business sector. But the term “politics” implies the basic principles specifying the basic policies of the case.
In fact, since Antique Green Age, Politics is defined as the branch of philosophy specifying basic principles of human-specific social system. Moving from this point, it is possible to imply that “
Politics”, in the essence, specifies the ways to do things.
When we turn into the water, “politics” are not mentioned much in technical policy of the water. However, in management side, who and how will do the water-related issues based on which principles and who and how will benefit from these sources all emerge as the issues of “politics”. Right here, the concepts “water and politics” get close together with regard to human-access to water and they gain a determinant characteristic for the right to life.
The way and the method
In brief, “politics” are the way of doing something; “policy” is the method of doing something or the course of action in an issue. In other words, “Policy” is an implementation method found to put a political theory or philosophy (politics) into practice.
Whether the water will be managed by public-hands, private sector-hands or public-private sector cooperation is now an issue of world water politics. However, following the decision in this issue, it is now turn to determine technical and institutional course of action to implement this decision, and this is the issue of specifying implementation tools in countries. Global implementation tools of politics may be national, regional or local.
As to summarize, initially the basic policy is determined, then the implementation tools are created and implemented. This is the method employed in water-related global policies. If the way is clear, differences in methods will not change the ultimate point. It will be to late when the poor world realized the impacts of water global policies.
Right to Access Water
Placement of “right to access water” into national and international agreements is an advanced step but does not guarantee the implementation. Right at this point, water policy gets into the business.
Water policy is basically shaped around the objectives of water management. The method and principles of water management are then created around this objective.
Today’s rules and principles have been set with a neoliberal approach making the “water a trade commodity”. Therefore, water services, long been provided as public service, now are tried to be diverted from this perspective. Global policies have been created over the water and now they have been implemented. However, during the relevant period, UN decisions are also being taken indicating the water as a human right.
Why the perception of water services has changed? It can be explained by a globally changing general service perspective not toward only the water.
To see the extent and orientation of change, we initially need to remember the definition of “Public Service”.
In the broadest sense, public service implies the “
continuous and regular activities supplied to the society for the benefit of public to meet the general needs or demands by the state or public entities or under the inspection and monitoring of these organizations”.
Water and Public Service
Public service is
legally defines as “the activities implemented to meet a certain need to be satisfied continuously and regularly, arisen at a certain time or place and with general or collective characteristics”.
When we look at the water supply service in this perspective, it is evident that water supply is a need to be met continuously and regularly and with general and collective characteristics. Since this service is also a vital need, it should be met continuously and regularly. Otherwise, human life will be threatened. Since it is also a social need, this service has general and collective characteristics. Water service should be supplied to regional, personal, local and etc. parts and there is no alternative to not to supply the rest.
In this case, “water services” are a very explanatory sample for public services since they bear all the characteristics of a public service.
However, this is not sufficient for implementation. This service is a
“legal” public service as defined above. In principle, boundaries of public service are defined by the
politics. These boundaries are very broad within the definition of
Social State and contract as moved away from this perception.
Therefore, determination of whether or not this service is a public service is
political issue rather than being a technical or legal issue. Thus, these boundaries are defined by legislature. Making the water a trade commodity is then a “political” decision.
Such a decision creates a difference in water management as much as the difference between the policies of a social perspective and an absolute economic perspective. This difference is able to create social impacts for such a vital continuous need. Therefore, some kind of additional measures are needed, like access to water.
Such a case is then creates societies with a right to access water but without water.
Finding practical implementations for the right to access water is an issue of Water Policy (Politics) rather than being a technical or legal issue.
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