Reforming Armenia s Water Sector
Since the adoption of a modern Water Code in 2002, Armenia has made good progress in the corporatization of water services and the revitalization of water resources management. However, the ongoing reforM process also has brought about the inevitable legal and institutional conflicts that are inherent in any change process. The newly emerging relationships in the Armenian water sector required the flexible exercise of effective administrative and regulatory mechanisms, which the new Water Code often could not provide. The way forward toward reform is the story of this paper. It draws lessons from Armenia s sometime troubled path toward integrated and participatory water management. In particular, Armenia needs to summon the political will to address the most stubborn targets of reform; 1) to complete the goal of decentralized management of water resources by reconciling national and local powers and authorities; 2) to develop a credible system for the financing of water resources management by redesigning the current irrelevant water resource fee system; and 3) to balance the governance structure between the State owners of the drinking water and sewerage companies and the economic regulator. Endorsement of these reforms for an improved Water Code by appropriate decision-makers would go a long way to ensure that the water sector is properly integrated, sufficiently decentralized, sustainably funded, and well governed.
water sector reforms integrated water resources management river basin organizations economic regulation of water services
A. Markosyan G. Nazaryan A. Margaryan
Department of State Property Management under Government of Armenia PA Government Services Inc. , Armenia State Committee of Water Economy by Ministry of Territorial Administration of Armenia
国际会议
郑州
英文
292-301
2009-10-20（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）