Spain: A participatory approach around groundwater

Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo ? 26 May 2006 For the first time in Spain, a legal reform is being drawn up from a participatory approach jointly between users and technicians in accordance with what is laid down in the EU Water Framework Directive concerning the participation in decision-making processes in environmental matters. During one year, a working team has organised the participation of users and groups through a network which has served to disseminate information and to collect suggestions, a website and 17 meetings of varied contents which have been held in 9 cities in different parts of Spain. The result of all this participatory work has been an analysis in depth of the problems of the management of groundwater in Spain and the adoption of a set of measures on an agreed basis. The general aim, towards which all the measures are geared, is contributing to guarantee water supply in the context of sustainable development. All the measures have been organised around four strands: – To create a new model of users? communities and make them co-responsible for the control and management of the masses of groundwater. – To reinforce the preservation of the masses of groundwater. – To simplify and improve the administrative procedures for a better control and management of this resource and to involve regional governments. – To make a better use of groundwater. More information on: http://www.ecodes.org