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Sustainable Urban Water System Transitions Through Management Reforms in Ghana

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  • Ernest Acheampong
  • Mark Swilling
  • Kevin Urama

Abstract

Despite decades of water reforms, Ghana’s struggle to achieve sustainable urban water system is deepened by complex interactions of multi-layered political, socio-economic and managerial characteristics, leaving a rationing system of water supply in major cities like Accra. Using a multi-level perspective framework, the paper examines the dynamics of urban water system transition through management reforms. The study showed how external pressure at the landscape level influenced policy direction within urban water regime through the implementation of neo-liberal economic policies, paving way for resistance and grassroots innovation at the niche level. The implementation of such policies in the reform process did little to help achieve the desired sustainable urban water system goals. The paper suggests a blend of public and private financing with support for grassroots to improve urban water system management. However, subsequent urban water policy reforms must be informed by knowledge of social, economic, and political realities rather than imported generic “best policies and practices” that often conflict with local realities. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Ernest Acheampong & Mark Swilling & Kevin Urama, 2016. "Sustainable Urban Water System Transitions Through Management Reforms in Ghana," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(5), pages 1835-1849, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:30:y:2016:i:5:p:1835-1849
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-016-1256-3
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    3. Lisa-Britt Fischer & Jens Newig, 2016. "Importance of Actors and Agency in Sustainability Transitions: A Systematic Exploration of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Odei Erdiaw-Kwasie, Michael & Abunyewah, Matthew & Edusei, Joseph & Buernor Alimo, Emmanuel, 2020. "Citizen participation dilemmas in water governance: An empirical case of Kumasi, Ghana," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    5. Mendel Giezen, 2018. "Shifting Infrastructure Landscapes in a Circular Economy: An Institutional Work Analysis of the Water and Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, September.
    6. Ellinor Isgren & Barry Ness, 2017. "Agroecology to Promote Just Sustainability Transitions: Analysis of a Civil Society Network in the Rwenzori Region, Western Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Helgegren, Ida & McConville, Jennifer & Landaeta, Graciela & Rauch, Sebastien, 2021. "A multiple regime analysis of the water and sanitation sectors in the Kanata metropolitan region, Bolivia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    8. Bediako, Isaac Asare & Zhao, Xicang & Antwi, Henry Asante & Mensah, Claudia Nyarko, 2018. "Urban water supply systems improvement through water technology adoption," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 70-77.

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