Preparing applications for water-withdrawal rights (GER)
As in the "Round Table Großenkneten" pilot, this pilot also aims at decreasing conflicts during the formal application for water abstraction rights. For this, closed and ongoing application processes for water abstraction rights are evaluated in a participatory approach. The outcome of this pilot will be a guidance document for water providers, on how to set up constructive stakeholder involvement processes in the context of managing their groundwater resources.Pilot location: Western Lower Saxony / Germany. Provision area of OOWV
Lead beneficiary involved: OOWV
Further details about the project:
The municipally has to approve the water right application of the OOWV. During the formal procedure, oral and written consultations are included.
In addition, during the preparatory phase, the OOWV approaches the different stakeholder groups to inform them about the planned water abstraction, and the related impact analysis. However, experience shows that still the appreciation and understanding of drinking water production decreases, and the founding principle of the OOWV (i.e. to balance water demand and needs between the five municipalities in the OOWV provision areas).
In this pilot, the OOWV has first identified central aspects for successful application processes. The results will then be discussed with other key stakeholders. The OOWV wants to enhance the general understanding for drinking water production, and increase the public trust in the OOWV as a sustainable managing water provider. The results of the pilots will be synthesized in a guidance document for water providers, on setting up supportive collaboration processes benefitting the application phase.
The project will continue until summer 2018, internal evaluation of the procedures has already taken place. The results will then be discussed with further key stakeholders in 1-3 workshops in the 2nd half of 2018. Based on this, a guidance document will be developed by early 2019.