Assessing public participation in water conservation and water demand management in water stressed urban areas: Insights from the City of Gweru, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The paper investigates the level of water user participation in water conservation and demand management in Gweru. Data was solicited from a combination of user opinion and key informants selected from the local authority and citizen representative groups. A household survey including 489 residents was carried out in the different categories of residential areas in the city. Several water conservation and demand management measures were identified. However compliance with the measures was poor. The majority of respondents (98%) were never consulted and did not participate in water decisions. Only a few respondents (2%) participated in water conservation and demand management consultation meetings, an indicator that decision-making was the sole prerogative of the local authority. Awareness in water conservation across residential suburbs was incredibly low irrespective of the socio-economic status of high literacy level recorded in the city. To explain the anomaly, respondents reported low participation (p = 0.078) in water conservation trainings which may have translated into limited conservation literacy. The findings also revealed poor communication channels between the local authority and residents such that water users felt disrespected and disregarded. Unfortunately no initiatives were in place to encourage and enable water user participation in water management. Water conservation and demand management will remain a problem in Gweru as long as there is no point of participation for various stakeholders, especially water users. Active participation channels must be opened in order to create water conservation awareness and good relations for effective participation and sustainable water service delivery.