ABSTRACT
Uruguayan communities have recently experienced water quality deterioration mostly caused by algae bloom and cyanobacteria. Using case studies from different regions of Uruguay, this study explores the role of media and decentralization programs in the emergence of new governance assemblages in response to water quality deterioration. Research methods include content analysis of two Uruguayan newspapers, community public statements, and semi-structured interviews conducted in 2012–2013 with key informants from market, state, and civil society. Media and decentralized governance influenced the construction of assemblages as an adaptation to water quality deterioration that overcomes historic challenges created by the dependency of communities on centralized institutions.
