Institutional inertia: challenges in urban water management on the path towards a water-sensitive Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

Traditional approaches to urban water management are increasingly questioned. To understand whether the alternative water-sensitive city (WSC) paradigm is applicable in Surabaya, Indonesia, its water governance system was analyzed using semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders, questionnaires, and a literature review. Three main institutional obstacles to a transition towards a WSC were identified: national and local political interference; lack of institutional coordination; and the commercialization of Surabaya’s water utility. A discord between water practitioners’ individual beliefs and water management practices also makes changes towards a WSC difficult. Yet, opportunities are found where existing political goals align with elements of the WSC.