Groundwater management: a search for better policy combinations

Abstract

Excessive groundwater pumping is now a global concern. There is no panacea for this problem, which needs to be addressed through continual policy improvements based on case studies. Good examples of the diversity of groundwater management are demonstrated by the Tokyo (Japan) and Orange County Water District (OCWD, California, USA) experiences. In Tokyo, excessive groundwater pumping was addressed through technological restrictions, including restrictions on the diameter and depth of wells, and construction of industrial waterworks. On the other hand, in Orange County, OCWD introduced a pump tax to purchase external water for artificial groundwater recharge. These two strategies are in striking contrast, from two perspectives. First, while OCWD's main policy tools were tax and artificial recharge, Tokyo depended on technological restrictions and construction of waterworks. Second, OCWD uses a combination of surface water and groundwater, but water supply in Tokyo has shifted almost completely from groundwater to surface water. What are the strong and weak points of each strategy? What causes such diversity? In this paper, a comparative case study was conducted to clarify (1) the institutional contexts causing the diversity of groundwater management and (2) the advantages and disadvantages of each policy combination.

Why is state‐centered groundwater governance largely ineffective? A review

“…For example, in Koto Ward (Tokyo), well outlet size was to be between 21 and 46 cm 2 and depth greater than 250 m (Endo, ). In 1962, only wells with outlet under 21 cm 2 and deeper than 650 m would be allowed, which made virtually any pumping uneconomical and impossible (Endo, ). Such technical constraints, however, were made acceptable/effective because the government delivered subsidized surface water as a substitute, recycling domestic and industrial wastewater, while improving cooling and other industrial processes as well as domestic use efficiency and resorting to artificial recharge (Endo, personal communication, November 1, 2015b).…”

“…Demand has decreased with the shift from agricultural to urban use and the increased efficiency of domestic appliances and industrial processes. Supply has been increased through water and flood harvesting and infiltration structures (import of Colorado water), and injection of recycled water into the coastal area (to control seawater intrusion) (Endo, ). All wells must be registered and fitted with a meter, except those with an outlet diameter of less than 1 in.…”

A Fifty-Year Experience of Groundwater Governance: The Case Study of Gakunan Council for Coordinated Groundwater Pumping, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

“…Areas that typically satisfied these conditions were large cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka. However, as the first condition detailed above suggests, this law was not preventive [23].…”

Groundwater Management under the Kabu-ido System in Noubi Plain, Japan, 1810s~1860s

“…Rice-farming was the primary 10 The Nishimatsu Diary, April 17, 1835. 11 The Nishimatsu Diary, April 21, 1844. 12 The Nishimatsu Diary, April 1, 1865. industry in the Fukuzuka Ring Levee at that time.…”