Conclusion

Abstract

“Do not fix the pipes — fix the institutions that fix the pipes”. This quotation was used in the introduction to illustrate the focus on water institutional reforms by international development agencies. This focus is a consequence of the new ‘paradigm’ of water governance, which evolved around 2000. It reflects the insight that water is not only a natural and economic resource that can be managed technically. It is also a social good with various societal, cultural, and symbolic functions and meanings. As such, water is embedded in a setting of interdependent and sometimes conflicting governance structures at multiple levels and in different societal spheres.