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A social science view on Sustainable Water Supply, Consumption and Sanitation in the Future

A social science view on Sustainable Water Supply, Consumption and Sanitation in the Future. Traces of water: UKWIR, London, 2005. Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaargaren, Environmental Policy Group Wageningen University. Themes to be discussed.

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A social science view on Sustainable Water Supply, Consumption and Sanitation in the Future

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  1. A social science view on Sustainable Water Supply, Consumption and Sanitation in the Future Traces of water: UKWIR, London, 2005 Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaargaren, Environmental Policy Group Wageningen University

  2. Themes to be discussed • 1. Theoretical approach to Water Supply, Consumption and Sanitation (WSCS) • 2. WSS in Europe: 1840 - 2005, • 3. New WSCS configurations for SD: what do they look like? • 4. Who is going to organise these new configurations, and how? • 5. What are driving forces/ main obstacles?

  3. 1.Theoretical Perspective: an infrastructural view of domestic water practices • Sociological view: citizen-consumers as ‘situated’ agents instead of (rational, conscious, choice-making) individuals • DOMUS-project (EU: Lancaster, Lund, Wageningen; 1997 - 2003 • In what ways do householders take part in or become involved in • new, more sustainable arrangement • for the handling of water and wastewater (energy and wastes) • at neighbourhood and household-levels?

  4. Trust; Info; Identity; Commitment

  5. 2. Short history of the water and wastewater systems in Europe (Juuti and Katko, 2005) • UK as ‘inventor’ of modern WSS systems • From 1840 onwards, ‘modern’ systems for WSS services have spread from UK all over Europe • first private, later (around 1900) publicly owned • end of 20th century, privatization of WSS in unprecedented scope and content • 21th century: UK model still the leading model? • Fragmentation, privatization, consumer empowerment

  6. 2. Three Paradigms of WSS services since +/- 1840 • Quantitative and civil engineering • Qualitative and (sanitation)chemical engineering • since mid 1980’s: Environmental engineering and integrated management

  7. Expert Systems on Energy Water Wastes Societal Pressures to include ‘sustainable development’ considerations, criteria and performance- indicators into the organisation of the WSCS networks

  8. 3. New configurations to Respond to SD-pressures (a.o. WFD/ EU) • What do these WSCS-configurations look like? • in practice and in theory; • judged from Provider and Consumer perspective • with respect to both its technical and socio-cultural dimensions and performance

  9. In practive: Ponton water-recycling system Re-use of bath and shower water for toilet flushing, washing machine, garden Pay-back time: 9 years (Germany)

  10. Vacuum toilets and biogas system for cooking

  11. Germany, Okohaus, Freiburg: Eco-high-tech

  12. Freiburg = ‘normal appartments’

  13. The Netherlands several pilot projects • Wageningen 500 • Leidsche Rijn/ Utrecht 15.000 • application of dual (drinking) water system at neighbourhood levels

  14. Sweden: Water sewage system at neighbourhood level

  15. 3. What do the new configurations look like? From a theoretical point of view Do they resemble the DeSaR-technologies of the 1970’s- style and form? • Small is beautiful/ alternative way of life (socially off..) • Stand alone devices/ off grid • Eco-projects as ‘gated communities’ • Low-tech solutions preferred/ soft technologies • Community driven, bottom-up development

  16. 3. What do the new configurations look like?From a theoretical point of view (OR:) do they take the form of ‘Modernized Mixtures’ = combining the best of both central and decentral options • Grid-connected decentral options • High-tech next to low-tech solutions in one system • Integrated into the mainstream built-environment • Living up to present demands of high CCC-levels/ compatible with ‘modern life (styles)’ • Developed by (utility) companies/ providers in creative dialogue with end-users as co-producing civilians

  17. The MISTRA variables to represent dimensions of WSCS

  18. MM D C Modernised Mixtures (MM) as alternative to either Centralised (C) or Decentralised (D) options for sustainable (waste) water systems

  19. 3. Research on new configurations: looking for technological and socio-cultural projects of MM-type • MISTRA PROJECT SWEDEN • EEAWAG RESEARCH ZURICH • WUR RESEARCH • GERMAN NETWORKS • UK…..

  20. 3. Some trends in recent WSCS- research • Counterposing the ‘DeSaR’ paradigm and the Centralised Systems paradigm no longer fruitful: MM as alternative, emerging concept? • Sustainable WSCS-pilots to be developed in different urban settings (new/old; high/low density) at different socio-technical scales • Sustainable WSCS are conceived of primarily in technical terms, so there is a recognized need to develop a social/symbolic story-line for WSCS

  21. Succes-stories of end-users constructing new networks of actors, including municipalities, water-boards, builders/ constructors, planners, and producers Germany; Freiburg Okohaus The Netherlands; Eva Lanxmeer; Kersetuin; Groene Dak etc. Sweden: Stockholm, Mistra cases Stories of partly or completely failed pilot-projects, initiated by (combinations of) Providers (and researchers) Stroomdal Emmen; Wageningen Rustenburg; Swichum village; Leidsche Rijn Utrecht; Wageningen Noord-West etc. 4. Who is going to organise the new configurations?(Preliminary results of EET-research project WUR)

  22. 4. Who is going to organise the new configurations, and how?Research on the Management of the ‘Blue Transition’ (KSI-Bsik): HYPOTHESIS/ discussion statement • “Sustainable niche projects of MM-type will NOT lead to regime-change over the next 15 years, ……unless • a meaningful link can be established between the new WSCS-technologies as being applied in provider-dominated networks on the one hand and citizen-consumers as end-users and co-producers of WSCS services on the other”

  23. 1970 WATER- PARADIGM 2000 • From: • DOING AWAY WITH = • making invisible • removing as fast as possible • detach from sensory • experience and perceptions • of citizen-consumers • To: • RETAIN AND USE = • make visible • keep and use as long as possible • reconnect to sensory experiences • and daily (consumption) routines • of citizen consumers 4. This ‘story-line’ has to be derived from the general direction of the ‘blue transition’

  24. 5. Driving forces and main obstacles • WFD debate and policies in Europe • Hightened ‘water-awareness’ world-wide? • Integrated approach: connecting different utility systems and services • Increasing costs of ‘Serving and Being Served’ • energy bills: sharp increase (300 euro next year) • sewage system renewal: extra costs (50% increase) • water quantity policies broadened (doubling of costs) • water quality services more expensive (doubling of price ?)

  25. 5. Driving forces and main obstacles Consumers unwilling to pay for ‘the internalization of external costs? WSS-providers using this as an argument/ excuse for not being pro-active in this field? • WSCS-services have been hidden away for too long and gained the status of basic/ normal rights (Water-services in between Potatoes and Cars?)

  26. THANKYOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Traces of water: UKWIR, London, 2005 Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaargaren, Environmental Policy Group Wageningen University

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