Desalination and the commons: tragedy or triumph?

Zetland, David

doi:10.1080/07900627.2016.1235015

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Based on the obtained results, desalination should be considered as a strategic water supply in regional water planning and management for irrigation in water scarcity regions instead of a contingency plan based on emergency demand. However, this asks for ensuring that the benefits and costs of desalinated water are well known, local and current instead of fluctuating, distant, and future [76]. The AGUA program assumed that farmers would turn to desalinated water and pay the government for construction and operating costs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why (Not) Desalination? Exploring Driving Factors from Irrigation Communities’ Perception in South-East Spain

Villar-Navascués

Ricart

Gil-Guirado

et al. 2020

Water

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Desalination for sustaining agricultural production is conceived as an alternative water source in some Mediterranean countries faced with climatological and hydrological constraints. Although high costs are often cited as limiting factors, how farmers discern desalinated water has not been discussed in-depth in the literature. This paper aims to deepen how desalination is perceived by irrigators, what driving factors are affecting irrigation communities’ decision-making processes, and what learnings can be drawn from their experiences regarding desalination acceptance or rejection. Eleven irrigation communities have been selected from Alicante and Murcia regions (South-East Spain), which account for more than 60,000 irrigators and 120,000 ha. Questionnaires were conducted between March and December 2019. Results highlighted the main advantages (water availability and supply security) and disadvantages (high price affecting profitable crop options, high-energy consumption, water quality standards, the production capacity of desalination plants, no seasonal variation in water production, and shortages due to technical problems) of using desalinated water. Additionally, through the analysis of regional and national press news, it can be concluded that socio-political aspects, such as corruption, cost overruns, and political disputes are also considered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why (Not) Desalination? Exploring Driving Factors from Irrigation Communities’ Perception in South-East Spain

Villar-Navascués

Ricart

Gil-Guirado

et al. 2020

Water

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“…However, some authors, such as Morote et al [21], explain that desalination is not the panacea for water scarcity, but it is a strategic resource to mitigate water insufficiency during drought situations. According to Morote et al [53], when analyzing the advantages and disadvantages offered by desalination, it is necessary to take into account the environmental and socio-political costs (end of inter-territorial conflicts), the economic costs (price of water), and energy consumption [64]. The use of this resource has led to an increase in the price of water in recent years.…”

Section: Desalinated Water: a Strategic Resource During Drought Situamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Non-Conventional Water Resources as a Means of Adaptation to Drought and Climate Change in Semi-Arid Regions: South-Eastern Spain

Seguido

Cantos

Hernández

2019

Water

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Drought is a climatic risk with notable repercussions on water supply systems. The aim of this study is to analyze the principal measures for management and planning implemented during recent decades in south-eastern Spain (Segura River Basin) to respond to drought situations, focusing on the role played by non-conventional water resources (desalination and treated water). The results demonstrate that the study area (despite being one of the driest places of Spain) is less vulnerable to drought than regions with an Atlantic climate and greater availability of water. This has been possible thanks to the integration of non-conventional water resources as a means of adaptation to confront this natural risk, which is estimated to become more intense and frequent in the future owing to climate change.

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“…In some countries, it is difficult to convince voters and users that they should pay the full cost of services (Zetland and Gasson 2012). In others, politicians and managers pursue short-term goals by under-pricing water or under-investing in reliability, respectively (Zetland 2017).…”

Section: Zetland and B Colenbrandermentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Civilization: The Evolution of the Dutch Drinking Water Sector

Zetland

Colenbrander

2018

Water Econs. Policy

Self Cite

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Dutch drinking water companies now deliver safe affordable water to the entire population, but this result was not planned. It emerged, rather, from an evolutionary process in which various pressures on the commons resulted in changes to drinking water systems that addressed old concerns but uncovered new problems. Our analytical narrative traces this problem-solution-new problem pattern through four eras in which a common-pool dilemma is addressed by a private-good solution (1850–1880), a club-good solution (1880–1910) and a public-good solution (1910–1950) before returning to a private-good solution in the last 1950–1990 era. Actions, like the dates just given, were not always exact or effective, as the process was shaped by changing social norms regarding the distribution of costs and benefits from improved water services. This Dutch history is unique, but its insights can help improve drinking water services elsewhere.

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Desalination and the commons: tragedy or triumph?

Cited by 16 publications

References 43 publications

Why (Not) Desalination? Exploring Driving Factors from Irrigation Communities’ Perception in South-East Spain

Why (Not) Desalination? Exploring Driving Factors from Irrigation Communities’ Perception in South-East Spain

The Use of Non-Conventional Water Resources as a Means of Adaptation to Drought and Climate Change in Semi-Arid Regions: South-Eastern Spain

Water Civilization: The Evolution of the Dutch Drinking Water Sector

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