Inverse infrastructures: self-organization in the water services

Abstract

In urban communities, infrastructures that support living are indispensable. There is increased interest in alternative ways of providing such support systems, including semi-autonomous infrastructures resulting from the selforganization of local actors. In this study, we analyze the emergence and management of such infrastructures in light of the theory of complex adaptive systems, within which they are called 'inverse infrastructures'. Empirical evidence is drawn from the case of water cooperatives in the town of Ikaalinen, Finland. Our analysis shows that, with favorable preconditions in place, inverse infrastructures may contribute significantly to local infrastructure services and so also to the functioning of society.

Alternative governance arrangements for modular water infrastructure: An exploratory review

“…It is worth noticing that all articles consider multiple actors in the governance process: the public actors (public departments and agencies) at the regional and national level remain important, as public officials at these levels are responsible to keep an overview of the water systems and for harmonizing standards, for example, drinking water quality. However, we also find that citizens and consumers (local communities) become important players in the context of user-driven modular and decentralized infrastructures (Bakker & Cook, 2011; Heino & Anttiroiko, 2015; Simon & Lehn, 2012).…”

“…In terms of market-based instruments, the articles focus on subsidies and loans, as they can function as a catalyst for an innovation’s distribution (Gaulke, 2006; Heino & Anttiroiko, 2015; Schramm et al, 2017). Other market-based instruments addressed in the literature are procurement auctions and further economic incentives, which have the potential to encourage the adoption of new systems, such as the installation of parcel-scale rain gardens and rain barrels within a small suburban watershed, or support developments in the sector (Thurston et al, 2010; Simon et al, 2012).…”

“…These pertain to, for instance, the provision of expertise (e.g. through state officials) and the information exchange with stakeholders but also between state officials, between water cooperatives or between residents and water providers, sharing, for example, best-practices or good governance approaches (Bakker & Cook, 2011; Heino & Anttiroiko, 2015; Lemos, 2002). Educational campaigns, public community meetings, door-to-door meetings, and the direct sending of information to households are other ways to reach stakeholders (Lemos, 2002; Thurston et al, 2010).…”

“…The literature indicates that a positive effect of conducting ongoing dialogue and critical reviews among a wide range of stakeholders is social learning, which in turn can have a positive impact on the successful introduction and operation of alternative systems (Moglia et al, 2011). Another contagion occurred through “grassroots benchmarking,” where neighboring villages in Finland saw the implementation of modular technologies and wanted it as well (Heino & Anttiroiko, 2015). It seems that informal instruments are particularly favored in the planning phase of new infrastructures, while they lose importance after the implementation phase (Schramm et al, 2017).…”

Transformation of Urban Water Service Provision: Potential of Hybrid Systems

“…Inverse infrastructures rely on the local community and users for their creativity and ability to invest and operate instead of a professionally driven comprehensive design that is based on predictability. Research has shown that one prerequisite for the development of microinfrastructures is that the infrastructure policy of cities supports and enables self-organization of local communities to produce water services; thus, the implementation of hybridization is also a question of encountering two different ways of governing (Heino & Anttiroiko, 2015). Furthermore, it has been observed that with self-organizing microinfrastructures people perceive their efforts to be more meaningful and to reflect societal responsibility (Egyedi, 2012; Egyedi & Mehos, 2012).…”