ABSTRACT
IWRM stands on three pillars: (1) institutional framework, (2) nurturing environment, and (3) organization and management. In order to develop and manage water resources in a river basin, the development of an institutional framework is vital. Depending on political governance, cultural and social fabric, this framework must be location specific. It can be centralized, local, public-private partnership, or a combination thereof. Then comes the nurturing environment which is comprised of policies and legislation which are formulated and promulgated by the elected governing bodies, such as congress or parliament. It is this environment that sustains the institutional framework. When formulating policies and legislation, the expertise and skills of professionals come into play, thus emphasizing the interaction between the first pillar and the second pillar. The organization and management instruments put IWRM into action. These instruments may entail assessment, information, and allocation. The experience gained from implementation of IWRM is fed back into the development of the first two pillars and finally into itself. Thus, all aspects of IWRM are interactive and bring water, the user of water and the manager of water, and the government in association with each other.
