Developing Policies for Resilient Water Services

World is faced with wicked problems. Increasing uncertainty forces us to resist, adapt and change, in other words to be resilient. This holds true also for the water services, i.e., drinking water, sanitation, wastewater and stormwater services. Several scholars argue that advancing water resilience is primarily a matter of governance. Yet, much of the current literature focuses on technological solutions and only a small number on institutional and governance aspects of building resilience.

Thus, this research produces and strengthens knowledge and understanding about practical policies for resilient water services. More specifically, this dissertation seeks to answer the following research questions: i) What are the key factors of resilient water services in selected conditions? and ii) What kind of policy recommendations can promote more resilient and collaborative water services?

As water is highly dependent on context and location, case-study method was applied in the four research articles from Finland, India, rural Nigeria, and the city of Seattle in United States. As a result, several factors that make up resilient water services in rural and urban settings, in developing and developed economies were found.

The results indicate that the resilience factors do not change, or change less, according to the rural or urban settings. Instead, they change according to the development stage of the country or the region. Policy recommendations stemming from the research concentrated on promoting these resilience factors.

Additionally, the research articles were reflected to selected policy development and resilience frameworks. Recognizing the relevant stages or points in the policy and resilience development for each article enabled highlighting important aspects of advancing resilience at each development stage.