Participatory Water Management in Brazil: Legal, institutional and political aspects (1988 - 2008)

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study that aims to understand and evaluate the performance of the water resources new public policy in Brazil, promulgated by the Federal Law Nº. 9,433, of 8 January 1997, in full observance by the Brazilian State Reform (1995). This policy brings significant innovations in water management, considered by the Federal Constitution of 1988 as a public good, under the control of the Union and the Federated States. The innovative aspect of this policy is the management system, provided by the National and State Water Resources Councils and Water Committees. Participatory management is based on the participation of representatives of Public Power, water users and civil society, who were listened in the interviews. This new policy has been built unevenly throughout the country and reflects the characteristics and peculiarities of each Brazilians region. Thus, the study examines regional experiences in the theoretical approach of concepts related to participatory management and multilevel water governance, with emphasis on the issue of Brazilian federalism. Civil society believes in this form of management of water resources and has high expectations that better results could be obtained with the strengthening of Brazilian democracy. The recovery of citizenship, the participation in the implementation of public policies, the quick deliberation on conflicts about the use of water have been the great gains that society has registered in favor of this new form of managing water resources.