ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: This chapter presents an assessment of the water resources management system of a case study region, the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean, with a particular focus on sustainability. After a brief presentation on water resources management concepts, a methodology proposed for the assessment is developed and applied to country specific situation and issues of water resources. The “Building Blocks” assessment methodology, consisting of elements of the management functions or tools for water resources viewed in a simple graphic manner, helps to organize the assessment and is feasible to use in a participatory exercise due to its visual value and its potential to generate and guide discussions. Problems and issues related to water in the case study country are analyzed with reference to the tools or functions of water management as the evaluation unfolds. Results show that the water sector requires reform, which should be wisely based on the development of organization, planning and control tools for adequate administration of that resource in order to solve problems in water stressed regions of the country, identifying priority actions, and define strategies to solve current water quantity and quality issues, and to prevent aggravation of them in the future. Areas for improvement in water resources management are suggested.
