A social science view on Sustainable Water
Supply, Consumption and Sanitation in the Future
Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaargaren, Environmental Policy Group
Wageningen University
Traces of water: UKWIR, London, 2005
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?
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?
‘Serving and BeingServed by
Collective Socio-materialSystems’
energy
waste
water
Domestic Consumption
EXPERTSYSTEMS= people= techno-
logies
Trust; Info; Identity; Commitment
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
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
ExpertSystems
onEnergyWaterWastes
Societal Pressures to include ‘sustainable development’ considerations, criteria and performance- indicators into the
organisation of the WSCS networks
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
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)
Vacuum toilets and biogas system for cooking
Germany, Okohaus, Freiburg: Eco-high-tech
Freiburg = ‘normal appartments’
The Netherlands several pilot projects
•Wageningen 500
•Leidsche Rijn/ Utrecht 15.000
application of dual (drinking) water system at neighbourhood levels
Sweden:
Water sewage system at neighbourhood level
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
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
Combined water and waste flows
Low cost, flexible systems
Large scale, fixed price systems
Low involvement of end-users
Decentralisedorganisation
Central organisation
High involvement of end-users
Separated water and waste flows
The MISTRA variables to represent dimensions of WSCS
C D
MM
Modernised Mixtures (MM) as alternative to either Centralised (C) or Decentralised (D) options for sustainable (waste) water systems
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…..
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
4. Who is going to organise the new configurations?
(Preliminary results of EET-research project WUR)
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,
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”
4. This ‘story-line’ has to be derived from the general direction of the ‘blue transition’
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
1970 WATER- PARADIGM 2000
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 ?)
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?)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaargaren, Environmental Policy Group
Wageningen University
Traces of water: UKWIR, London, 2005
