Constraints on the adoption of Adaptive Water Management principles: the case of Greater Tehran. Item Type Thesis Authors Delavari Edalat, Farideh Rights <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by- nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. Download date 02/10/2021 21:00:36 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7320 University of Bradford eThesis This thesis is hosted in Bradford Scholars – The University of Bradford Open Access repository. Visit the repository for full metadata or to contact the repository team © University of Bradford. This work is licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. CONSTRAINTS ON THE ADOPTION OF ADAPTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES: THE CASE OF GREATER TEHRAN F. DELAVARI EDALAT PHD 2014 CONSTRAINTS ON THE ADOPTION OF ADAPTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES: THE CASE OF GREATER TEHRAN Farideh DELAVARI EDALAT Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences School of Life Sciences University of Bradford 2014 Abstract Abstract Farideh Delavari Edalat Constraints on the adoption of Adaptive Water Management principles: the case of Greater Tehran Keywords: Adaptive Water Management principles, polycentric governance, institutional flexibility, public participation, sustainability, Tehran water management Continued water scarcity, flooding, pollution and urbanisation, especially in developing countries, have signified the necessity of renewed exploration of the most appropriate approach to water management. This approach should aim to meet the water requirements in the changing world in a sustainable way. Reviewing the different water approaches that have emerged in the developed countries during the last decades suggests that Adaptive Water Management (AWM) could provide a sustainable route to address the existing complex problems of urban water management through the future. The purpose of this study was to determine whether AWM could be applied to Greater Tehran in order to maximise sustainability and deal with the future uncertainties. The AWM characteristics of polycentric governance, institutional flexibility, and public participation were used to assess the adaptability of the existing water management. The research findings showed that, despite the lack of adaptability in the current Greater Tehran water management, there are positive attitudes towards adaptability among water professionals and the public. The research findings emphasised that the AWM application could be promoted by more participation in various levels of institutional structure. This thesis suggests that if the concept of AWM is applied to Iran, it has the potential to have a significant influence in the current/future water management by promoting technical and institutional performances simultaneously. i Acknowledgements Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to say my especial thanks to Liz Sharp for her effective supervision, continuing encouragement, skilful comments and suggestions, patience and support to keep me going throughout my study. And also many thanks to Tom Franks for his supervision, guidance comments and valuable support during my study. Massive thanks to my husband, Reza and my children, Alireza and Mehrnoush for their constant encouragement, understanding, tolerance, love and support. TO ALL OF YOU I SAY “THANK YOU” ii Table of Contents Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents .................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ........................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ......................................................................................................... vii Glossary of Abbreviations ........................................................................................ ix Chapter 1: Introduction ......................................................................................... 1 1.1. Adaptive Water Management (AWM) .............................................................. 4 1.2. The rationale for researching AWM ................................................................. 6 1.3. Research context ............................................................................................ 7 1.4. Research design overview ............................................................................. 8 1.5. Outline of Thesis ........................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: Overview of water management approaches .................................. 14 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 14 2.2. Water Supply Management ........................................................................... 15 2.3. Water Demand Management ........................................................................ 17 2.4. Integrated Water Resources Management .................................................... 18 2.5. Towards Adaptive Water Management ......................................................... 21 2.6. What is adaptive management? .................................................................... 23 2.7. Adaptive Water Management ........................................................................ 24 2.8. Adaptive Water Management characteristics ................................................ 25 2.9. Adaptive Water Management related approaches......................................... 34 2.10. Chapter summary ......................................................................................... 40 Chapter 3: Water management in the developing world: the example of Iran . 42 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 42 iii Table of Contents 3.2. Water availability the big picture .................................................................... 42 3.3. Water challenges in developing countries ..................................................... 47 3.4. Water management experiences in developing countries ............................. 49 3.5. Iran water management ................................................................................ 52 3.6. Greater Tehran context ................................................................................. 67 3.7. Chapter summary ......................................................................................... 79 Chapter 4: Research design and methodology ................................................. 80 4.1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 80 4.2. Research aim and objectives ........................................................................ 80 4.3. Research approach, purpose and logic ......................................................... 82 4.4. Research design ........................................................................................... 84 4.5. Data collection methodology ......................................................................... 91 4.6. Research ethical issues .............................................................................. 109 4.7. Data analysis methodology ......................................................................... 114 4.8. Chapter summary ....................................................................................... 124 Chapter 5: Polycentric water governance ........................................................ 126 5.1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 126 5.2. Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company ..................................... 127 5.3. Types of water companies .......................................................................... 128 5.4. Observation of the company offices ............................................................ 130 5.5. Interviewee demographics .......................................................................... 131 5.6. Polycentric governance ............................................................................... 132 5.7. Chapter conclusion ..................................................................................... 142 Chapter 6: Institutional flexibility...................................................................... 143 6.1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 143 6.2. Companies’ responses to the current challenges ........................................ 143 iv Table of Contents 6.3. Companies’ internal management ............................................................... 166 6.4. Chapter conclusion ..................................................................................... 172 Chapter 7: Public participation ........................................................................