STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY

MSc Water and Environmental Management

Investigating Non-regulatory Approach for Source Water Protection on the St. Paul’s Watershed, Liberia

Othello Nyenkan October 2014 ID#. 09038781

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I must first express sincere gratitude to Dr. Dave Moreman for his patience in guiding me

through this program and for his willingness to oversee my development of writing skills.

I am also grateful to all those who granted me access for interviews, amongst whom special

thanks go to Mr. Emmanuel Boe, Chemist at the Monrovia Breweries, Mr. Guah Kennedy,

Water Resources Department, Ministry of Water of Liberia, only to name a few.

My thanks also go to my wife, Neresa for her support through these tough research moments,

and my kids; Riches, my Daughter , Divine, my Son and Dearest, my Daughter for patiently

waiting as I carried out my studies.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT………………………………………………………………………………...I CONTENT TABLE………………………………………………………………………………………II LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………………………………IV FIGURESTABLE………………………………………………………………………………………..V ACRONYMS……………………………………………………………………………………………VI ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………………….VII 1.0 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………1

1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Study ..................................................................................... 4

1.2. Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 4

1.3. Research Questions ........................................................................................................ 5

1.4 Structure of the Project ..................................................................................................... 6

2.0 WATER POLLUTION AND CONTROL: LITERATURE REVIEW. ....................................... 7

2.1. Water Pollution Overview. ............................................................................................... 7

2. 2 Water Pollution Control and Approaches ........................................................................ 8

2.2.1. Command and Control .............................................................................................. 8

2.2.2 Economic Instruments ................................................................................................ 9

2.2.3 Voluntary Regulations ................................................................................................ 9

2.3 Pollution Control and Developing Countries ................................................................... 10

2.4. Water Pollution and Source Water Protection ............................................................. 10

2.4.1 Urgent Need in Developing Countries ...................................................................... 12

2.5 Voluntary Approach to SWP for Developing Countries .................................................. 12

3.0 POLLUTION CONTROL AND SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN LIBERIA ................. 13

3.1 Liberia’s Environmental Legislative Framework ............................................................. 13

3.2 State of Environmental Regulatory Issues on Waters in Liberia ..................................... 14

3.3. Source Water Protection on St. Paul’s Watershed ........................................................ 14

3.4. Private Sector’s Participation in Pollution Controls ........................................................ 17

3.5 Implications for Voluntary Tools on the Watershed ........................................................ 18

4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 21

4.1. Methods of Data Collection and Analysis ...................................................................... 21

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4.1.1. Selection of Sample ................................................................................................ 23

4.1.2. Sampling Method .................................................................................................... 24

4.2 Methods of Data Collection ............................................................................................ 24

4.2.1 Primary data ............................................................................................................. 25

4.2.2 Secondary Data Sources ......................................................................................... 25

4.3 Methods of Data Analysis and Presentation ................................................................... 26

4.4. The Case Study Research ............................................................................................ 26

5.0 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................ 27

6.0. Analysis and Discussion. .................................................................................................. 28

6.1. Participants and Analysis .................................................................................................. 28

6.2 Data Collection and Analysis .......................................................................................... 30

6.2.1 Stakeholders’ knowledge and attitude on SWP………………………………………...32 6.2.2 Current conditions under which water sources were being managed ...................... 32

6.2.3 Available resources and needs for SWP .................................................................. 33

6.2.4 Business involvement in pollution control ................................................................. 35

6.3 Implications for Voluntary Approach ............................................................................... 38

6.4 Business involvement in Water Pollution Control ........................................................... 47

6.4.1 Voluntary Involvement of business .............................................................................. 49

6.4.2 Effectiveness in Liberia................................................................................................ 50

6.4.3 Sustainability in Liberia ............................................................................................... 52

7.0 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................ 54

8.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 58

9.0 APPENDIX

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Water Pollutants and Sources ................................................................................... 7

Table 2.4 Multiple Barrier Approach ........................................................................................ 11

Table 4.1 Ivey et al 2006, Resources Indicator Tool ................................................................ 22

Table 6.1 List of Interviewees .................................................................................................. 29

Table 6.4 Allocation of budget and financial constraint level for WASH Institutions ................ 41

Table 6.4b Wellhead Protection Practice ................................................................................. 51

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LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.1.1. Waste water from Monrovia .......................................................................................... 1

Fig.1.2 Map of Liberia showing Rivers ....................................................................................... 2

Fig.3.3 a Aerial Map of the St. Paul’s Watershed .................................................................... 15

Fig.3.3 b. Residences along River Bank, St. Paul’s River ....................................................... 17

Fig. 3.5 a Water shortage hit communities as water wells run dry. .......................................... 19

Fig. 3.5 b Penetration of drill boreholes of companies to shallow community wells ................. 19

Fig. 6.1 a Pie Chart of Participants .......................................................................................... 28

Fig. 6.2 Farmers learn Agricultural Practices ........................................................................... 34

Fig 6.3 Record of working with the community……………………………………………………..36 Fig. 6.3b Monrovia Breweries constructed Facilities operating on Fees for Use ..................... 37

Fig. 6.4 Existing Water Governance in Liberia. ...................................................................... 40

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ACRONYMS DEFRA UK Department of Forestry and Rural Affairs GoL Government of Liberia GWP Global Water Partnership ILO International Labor Organization LA&C Latin America and the Caribbean LEPA Liberia Environmental Protection Agency LWSC Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development POP SWP Source Water Protection USAID/DAI United States Aid for International Development/Development Alternatives Incorporated UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNGC UN Global Compact UNMIL United Nations Mission in Liberia UNWWAP United Nations World Water Assessment Program VIP Ventilated Improved Pit Latrine WASH Water and Sanitation for Health WATSAN Water and Sanitation

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ABSTRACT Protecting water resources in developing countries is a major problem. In Liberia, a developing

country, rivers and streams used for domestic drinking purpose are being polluted by industrial

and domestic waste (GoL, 2007). Wastes from rubber plantations, raw sewerage and other

economic activities continue to undermine the quality of ground and surface water used for

drinking in Monrovia and environs. The problem is further complicated by the low sustainability

of communal facilities for water and sanitation. Like in many developing countries, achieving

environmental protection is greatly hampered by ineffective regulations.

Additionally, a strong debate in the environmental arena is about the workability of voluntary

approaches in developing countries. This paper contributes to this debate and provides

support and evidence that voluntary tools can work in developing countries. While not

universal, it argues that under set conditions, they have addressed issue otherwise in the

absence of command and control regulatory regimes and are useful for Source Water

Protection in Liberia.

This study using a two way structured questionnaire- an opened ended questionnaire

introduced to allow for respondents in-depth response and a closed ended questionnaire

introduced as a consensus building approach, examined conditions on the St Paul Watershed

considering stakeholders’ knowledge and attitude on Source Water Protection (SWP),

understanding the conditions under which water sources were being managed, available

resources and those needed in determining a way forward for SWP, and businesses’

perception and willingness on involvement in pollution control. The attempt was to assess the

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potential for integrating voluntary approaches in strengthening the formation of policy which

makes up for weak regulatory regime while also accounting for the involvement of businesses.

I found that insufficient knowledge and awareness as seen from decision makers as well as

policy makers exist, and that the current regulatory framework on water resources does not

provide for SWP, while low capacity of technical staff, and a lack of information availability to

potential stakeholders (businesses in particular) on their involvement as well as impacts, and

that of community leaderships in their capacity lack to advocate, have in themselves inhibited

the purpose of SWP.

We conclude that SWP can become a catalyst for governance in Liberian when the Liberia

Water Producers Association a voluntary partnership is fully capacitated through education

and awareness, and that farmers and communities are engaged through payment for

environmental services. That this development of voluntary partnership agreement is essential

for enhancing water governance in Liberia, through coordination with water businesses and

with information disclosure reporting. Finally that policy supporting CSR on businesses

investment take deeper turn in integrating mandatory approach on information disclosure with

businesses(Liberia Water Producers Association) leading the way.

As an implication for further research, the legitimacy of voluntary framework still lacks legality,

however where commitment from parties can be disclosed, an attempt to mislead in itself can

be regarded as illegal. Thus the legality of voluntary approaches in itself is deserving of further

research in legalizing voluntary approaches.

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1.0 INTRODUCTION. Safe and reliable drinking water sources remain a challenge for developing countries (Ivey

et al., 2006). With traditional command and control approach to environmental protection

continuously coming under scrutiny especially due to institutional weaknesses; developing

countries often marked with weak regulatory controls have been faced with the challenge of

protecting water sources. (Folifac, et al, 2009).

Liberia is situated on the West Coast of Africa. Liberia, like most developing countries, it is

faced with the challenge of safe and reliable drinking water (Uhl, et al., 2012). It is that

environmental protection using traditional command and control approach continuously

lacks efficacy (SIDA, 2008). This current weak regulatory control holds a challenge for

effective drinking water sources protection.

Fig.1.1. Waste water from Monrovia /Photo from Pulitzer Crises Reporting, Accessed 2, October 2014

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The situation is that uncontrolled disposal of domestic waste, renewed agricultural activities,

mining, logging, aquaculture and activities in other economic sectors continue to increase

water pollution in the Liberia (GoL, 2007) Liberia has vast water resources, and water

quantity is not as pressing as the quality for drinking that is so much limited.

Fig.1.2 Map of Liberia showing Rivers / Courtesy of Nations Online Project/Accessed May 9, 2014

Towards environmental management, in 2005, the United Nations Mission in Liberia

(UNMIL) initiated an environmental study on water pollution in Liberia. The study was in

response to pollution cases about rubber companies’ activities located across the entire

Liberia. Their findings revealed weak environmental pollution control and regulatory

weakness ((UNMIL), 2006). Thus the need to address the issue of an effective legal

framework under which water resources governance in Liberia could proceed. In 2007 there

was the introduction of an Integrated Water Resources Management Policy in Liberia (GoL,

2007).This however has not addressed the issue of fragmentation in powers.

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Subsequently 2011, a Water and Sanitation for Health (WASH) Compact from the

Sanitation and Water for All) describe, was brought in to address the fragmented approach

to the WASH sector. However, transition to this new sector approach structure has required

political will, legal work, and capacity building, as well as financing, and organizational

support. Consistently, it is that “institutional fragmentation, manpower shortages, lack of

funding, discrepancies in baseline data” continues to contribute and that there is still

regulatory weaknesses (GoL-SAWA, 2011).

The purpose of this study was to investigate voluntary pollution control approaches that

could have the potential to provide the needed and cost-effective support to regulatory

mechanisms for developing countries when weak regulatory control exists. This study

investigated water pollution control through voluntary approaches as a case study in

Liberia, a developing country. It aimed to assess stakeholders’ capacity to implement SWP

using voluntary approach with the St. Paul’s River, Montserrado County in Liberia as a

case.

This study built on Source Water Protection study findings from a case study by Folifac et al

in Cameroun a West African state in its Beau Municipality (Folifac, et al., 2009,). Having

reviewed the challenges and constraints of SWP in the municipality, the study looks at

stakeholders’ capacity using voluntary approach in Liberia. By drawing on the findings of

the Camerounian Case study and literature review of water pollution in Liberia, this study

considered cost effective approaches that could facilitate source water pollution control.

For a cost effective approach the study reviewed the involvement of businesses in SWP the

framework of the UN Global Compact (UNGC, 2000).

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1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Study

The following objectives are to be achieved.

• That implementing Source Water Protection serves as a catalyst for strengthening

water governance in Liberia.

• Non-regulatory environmental tools to be introduced at the watershed sustainably.

• Voluntary approaches need to compliment the needed regulatory support as a policy

tool.

• Businesses must be willing and able to participate in pollution control in this setting in

Liberia in SWP.

1.2. Significance of the Study

The study is significant for the following reasons,

� Drinking water availability in developing countries in sufficient and reliable quantity

remains a daunting task with water borne diseases a major killer (UNWWAP, 2009).

� Developing countries have shown a lack in regulating natural resources with water

resources being of no exception. It is that weak regulatory control undermines water

resources management in developing countries. “without adequate capacity, any

policy and legislation can fail to deliver on set objectives”. (Marjanović, et al., 2011)

� Liberia’s regulatory system of natural resources remains still complex and which

therefore undermines its regulatory strengths. Consequently strengthening the

capacity of this system should not only identify causes of failure but what policy

actions are needed for strengthening this system (GoL, 2007).

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� The St. Paul’s River as a sampled area is the principal source of surface water and

ground water sustenance for the St. Paul’s Water shed which provides water to over

1 million people within and around Monrovia. The river does have an economic value

but with promising health implications.

� The adoption of voluntary tools, a new wave of regulatory controls promises

significant relief to regulatory structures giving the associated reduction in

administrative cost.

� Understanding the implementation voluntary of tools and approaches in

environmental management requires a country contextual approach with Liberia a no

exception.

Consequently, in identifying opportunities that facilitate capacity for financial, institutional,

social, and technical issues in SWP; the effort is to contribute towards knowledge for

strengthening regulatory control for environmental protection in developing countries.

1.3. Research Questions

This research undertook to answer the following questions in an attempt to contribute

knowledge as a way forward for developing countries towards sustainable Source water

Protection.

1. Can source water protection implementation serve as a catalyst for strengthening

water governance in Liberia?

2. How could non-regulatory tools be best employed in the St. Paul’s Watershed?

3. To what extent can voluntary tools impact the issues of technical, human and

economic capacities for implementing SWP in the St. Paul’s Watershed?

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4. To what extent are businesses willing and able to participate in pollution control in

this setting in Liberia?

1.4 Structure of the Project

The study is spread over a total of 7 chapters, an introduction in Chapter 1 in which the

purpose of the research is presented outlining the aims and objectives of the study as well

as the structure of the project.

In Chapter 2 is Literature review on water pollution and control. We discuss water pollution

and the major sources, water pollution’s impact and an overview of regulatory approaches;

as well as strengths and weaknesses in developing countries.

In Chapter 3 is pollution control and source water protection in Liberia, and overview of the

Liberia’s environmental legislative framework and pursuit of water resources management,

the state of environmental regulatory issues on waters in Liberia, and issues of Source

Water Protection on St. Paul’s Watershed.

Chapter 4 presents the research methodology, methods of data collection and analysis as

well as method of data analysis.

In chapter 5 results from the study are presented and with analysis of the these findings

In Chapter 6 we present discussion in response to implications from findings derived from

the study.

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2.0 WATER POLLUTION AND CONTROL: LITERATURE REVIEW.

2.1. Water Pollution Overview. Water pollution refers to the contamination of water resources with chemicals or other

substances in an amount that that normally exceeds what would occur under natural

conditions. These pollutants are normally occurring due to human interaction with the

environment (UNWater, 2011).

Table 2.1 Water Pollutants and Sources

(Kraemer, et al., 2001)

UNEP Water report on Global water situation of 2010 reveals that,

“Clean water supplies and sanitation remain major problems in many parts of the world, with 20% of the global population lacking access to safe drinking water. Around 1.1 billion people globally do not have access to improved water supply sources, while 2.4 billion people do not have access to any type of improved sanitation facility”. (UNEP, 2010),

Providing and sustaining freshwater to the global community continues to be a challenge.

The provision of fresh water is often challenged by activities of man. In the developing world

it is that 90% of waste water is discharge into streams and rivers without any form of

treatment (UNWater, 2011). Generally water contamination has been mostly as result of

agriculture, mining, waste from sewer (UNWater, 2011). It is therefore becoming clear that

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the world’s decreasing fresh water quality and quantity are in need of measures for pollution

control as well as the quantity. However defining such measures will be critical owing to the

nature and sources of pollution from activities of man.

2. 2 Water Pollution Control and Approaches

Pollution control by regulators uses three main approaches; command and control,

economic incentives and voluntary approaches. In this section I present an overview of

control systems which are been coexisted with water pollution controls.

2.2.1. Command and Control

The command and control approached to environmental issues has been regarded as the

traditional approach to environmental management. Dating much longer decades back, the

approach has been regarded as an over costly and very rigid method of protecting the

environment. (Khanna, 2001). The use of command and control sought to introduce

environmental legislations, procedures, and other tools that would ensure environmental

performance. However, the inability of the command and control approaches to effect a

change in behavior created a need for attempting alternative tools (Collier, et al., 2010).

In the use of the command and control approach, financial and administrative cost

associated with implementation often served as barriers to performance and therefore a

major consideration for developing countries (Helmer & Hespanhol, 1997).

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2.2.2 Economic Instruments

The need to increase environmental economics in environmental management is in relation

to the idea that the command and control regimes are often too stringent, costly and mostly

irrespective of size and type of businesses for pollution control (Bernstein, 1997)&

(Panayotou, 1994).

However, the use of economic instrument now often requires a needed data and scientific

assessment criteria as well as an overall needed institutional capacity which is still yet

lacking in most developing countries (Helmer &Hespanhol, 1997).

2.2.3 Voluntary Regulations

Voluntary approaches or regulations are norms, or standards which firms used to either

comply or over comply with existing regulations or future regulations (Börkey, et al., 1999).

Voluntary approaches are represented under three major categories; negotiated

agreements, public program and unilateral agreement. (Blackman, 2007), described four (4)

main voluntary approaches; the four main types of voluntary regulation, “environmental

agreements negotiated between regulators and industry; public programs (administered by

regulators or third parties) that individual firms are invited to join; public disclosure initiatives

that collect and disseminate information on participants’ environmental performance”.

In water pollution control specific tools to environmental management have taken such

forms as educational programs, watershed management programs, market based

mechanism, incentives programs, awareness raising and education (Saunders & de Loe.R,

2010). Thus in this study voluntary approaches refers to control mechanism by regulators

while voluntary tools for SWP refer to instrument used to compliment regulator’s control

mechanism in a business approach.

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2.3 Pollution Control and Developing Countries

The use of economic instruments, command and control or voluntary tools are methods that

are being experimented for environmental protection; and for developing countries, the use

of these approaches to handling environmental protection is still being decided (Panayotou,

1994).

Developing Countries have shown little in the way of using command and control approach

in curbing environmental problems (Folifac, et al., 2009). The over reliance on water quality

monitoring, a laboratory base approach, and a part of command and control is widely used

in developing countries. However, in drawing from lessons from (Folifac et al., 2009), it can

be seen that less well established is drinking water pollution control in developing countries.

In the same, the use of economic instrument in developing countries is still doubtful despite

its effectiveness and flexibility over command and control regulatory approach. (Bernstein,

1997) stressed that in the midst of institutional deficiencies, “opportunities for the effective

application of economic instruments in developing countries can be very limited’. In this

connection, institutional capacity to implement economic instruments has been greatly

linked to the lacking of scientific data and knowledge. Specifically, the need for data and

analysis on emissions and monitoring is often not available for execution purpose in most

developing countries. Thus the use of economic instruments as evident by the polluter’s

pay principle, have usually fallen short of full efficacy.

2.4. Water Pollution and Source Water Protection

Source Water Protection (SWP) entails protecting the quality as well as quantity of water

used for drinking (UNEP, 2010). It is regarded as “the first barrier to the contamination of

drinking water and involves protecting the sources of drinking water” (Brethour, et al.,

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2009). It is being referred to as a cost effective means of water treatment as source water

contamination increase the cost of water treatment, (Simpson, et al., 2011).

Traditionally, measures at water treatment took on to the use of multi-barrier approaches

geared towards preventing contaminants from water supply through a system of water

treatments and supply, distribution networks and water quality monitoring.(Saunders & de

Loe.R, 2010). Most of this effort has been reliant on end of the tap result for water quality.

However, most recent discovery of chlorine resistant pathogens means that developing

countries are at far risk on reliance on a water quality monitoring with such an approach

often too costly and less well implemented.

Additionally, with the over reliance on water quality monitoring, a laboratory base widely in

use in developing countries, according to (Godfrey & Howard, 2004) it is often “that the

results are too little and too late for preventive action”.

Table 2.4 Multiple Barrier Approach

Threat Barrier Control Measure

Contaminants, Microbes, etc. Source Water Protection Watershed Management Plan Source Water Protection Plan

Chemical Contaminants, Microbes

Treatment Operation Chemicals, Filtration, and water quality standards and monitoring.

Leaks, system break downs, Distributions Reducing abrasion or corrosion to system, removal reactive residual from network

Contaminants in high concentration after treatment

Monitoring Set up laboratory, log of water treatment

Response Emergency Planning Develop an Emergency Response Protocol

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Source: Adopted from Walkerton Inquiry Report, O’Connor 2002.

2.4.1 Urgent Need in Developing Countries

UN Water 2013 reports that globally;

Over 780 million people are still without access to improved sources of drinking water and 2.5 billion lack improved sanitation. If current trends continue, these numbers will remain unacceptably high in 2015: 605 million people will be without an improved drinking water source and 2.4 billion people will lack access to improved sanitation facilities. (UNEP, 2010) (WHO/UNICEF, 2013) Water needs in developing countries persist, safe and reliable drinking water sources

remain a challenge for developing countries (Ivey et al., 2006). However, providing water

therefore in sufficient and safe quantity could be enhanced by preventive measures to

existing water sources (Godfrey & Howard, 2004).

2.5 Voluntary Approach to SWP for Developing Countr ies

An overview of voluntary tools in SWP as outlined by Saunders et al, provide that these

voluntary approaches are intended to solicit participation from citizens. “Voluntary

approaches typically consist of strategies to encourage adoption of practices to improve

raw water quality, without the use of regulation”, (Saunders & de Loe.R, 2010). The

overarching objective of this study is to underline that these approaches functioning as

information base, incentive, or in the form of technical assistance would assist in

addressing water source protection as result of land use practices, poor hygiene practices,

and cost reduction to regulators.

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Therefore, the use of voluntary tools in developing countries needs a further research.

Indeed educational programs, watershed management programs, market based

mechanism, incentives programs, awareness raising and education offer promises.

3.0 POLLUTION CONTROL AND SOURCE WATER PROTECTION I N LIBERIA

This case study research presents initial pollution issues arising from Liberia’s regulatory

control and initial pollution control on drinking water quality at the St. Paul’s River whilst

seeking sustainable approach for SWP, while addressing issues of “institutional

fragmentation, manpower shortages, and lack of funding, discrepancies in baseline data”.

The population of St. Paul’s River District as at 2008 census survey stood at 71,831 people

(LISGIS, 2011); with a potential for growth due to the current overpopulation crises now in

the city of Monrovia.

3.1 Liberia’s Environmental Legislative Framework

In November 2002, Liberia adapted three main environmental tools; an Act creating the

Environmental Protection Agency, the National Environmental Policy, and the

Environmental Protection and Management Laws of Liberia. Accordingly, the National

Environmental Policy is to provide for individuals and communities participation in improving

the environment; whereas the laws provide legal frameworks for management and

protection of the environment. These, the policy and laws, have become the legal basis for

the operation of the Liberia Environmental Protection Agency (LEPA, 2007).

The principal agency for the management of the environment in Liberia is the Liberia

Environmental Protection Agency (LEPA) through an act of 2002 by the Liberian

Legislature. It is made up of a Policy Council, a Board of Directors, and an Executive

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Director. However regulatory issues of the policy are fragmented over line Ministries;

meaning that while the Liberian EPA remains the administrative body of environmental

protection, the regulatory issues concern are distributed over line Ministries (UNEP,

Assessment of Solid Waste in Liberia, 2007).

Policies of water resources have however being supported under the 1956 Public Health

Law which provides protection of water resources (USAID/DAI, 2008). In the case of

pollution, the regulatory framework seeks to implement a polluter’s pay principle which

requires a license for pollution and that penalty for violators is enforced. In addition the

framework recognizes and should use the precautionary principle in its environmental

management. (GoL-Environment Protection Agency, 2002).

3.2 State of Environmental Regulatory Issues on Wat ers in Liberia

Although regulatory control of water resources protection is not specific, it is referenced in

the Public Health Act of 1956. A section of the Act declares a safe and clean environment

for all (GoL-Environment Protection Agency, 2002).

Environmental pollution of Liberian water is now one of these issues highlighted in the

UNMIL 2006 report ((UNMIL), 2006). Consequently as Liberia recovers from a civil war of

December 1989 to 2003, with the current limited capacity, it is becoming increasing

important that a precautionary approach should be adopted in support of protecting this

principal water source of over 1 million people in Monrovia as well as the suburbs.

3.3. Source Water Protection on St. Paul’s Watershe d

The St. Paul’s Watershed is one of seven primary watersheds in Liberia, (See map on page

15). It drains into the St. Paul’s River one of Liberia six major rivers. The river begins in

Southeastern Guinea, crosses into northern Liberia about 30 miles (50 km) due north of

Gbarnga, in Bong County. It then flows through Montserrado County, and eventually

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becomes the dividing line between Monrovia, the capital of Liberia and Brewerville a suburb

township where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Hadden, 2006).

Fig.3.3a Aerial Map of the St. Paul’s Watershed .

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St. Paul’s River in Map View in the Watershed/ Courtesy of USAID/Liberia GIS Project May 2014

Hosting over 100 communities within the capital’s suburb, it has become a fast growing

populated area, with increasing agricultural activities as well as an area with emerging

industrial activities. As the St. Paul’s River flows, through to the Atlantic Ocean, the river is

known for its saline content, a situation which was sometimes considered, for a remedial

solution. However as the nation current sewage system remains out of service, the massive

ejection of the wastewater into lagoons remains yet another environmental problem.

Untreated sewage is discharged directly into lagoons and rivers (UNDP and EPA 2006; DAI

2008).

Besides, the current situation of the St. Paul’s River as a principle source water for the state

own water treatment in Liberia, it is revealing that quality is under attack in the wake of new

settlements, new farming activities, and the settlement conditions along the banks of this

river.

Furthermore, the lack of implementation of protected area legislation means that current

property right issues indicate more future unplanned layout of construction and therefore

poor latrine and septic layout.

Additionally as with existing water points and community management efforts, a WASH

Consortium report revealed that over 7000 water collection point (water wells) created in

response to the acute shortage of water as result of the civil war had about 60% fully

functional. Notwithstanding, water quality issues stand at a proportionally high rate (Uhl, et

al., 2012)

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Fig.3.3 b. Residences along River Bank, St. Paul’s River

Residences along River Bank, St. Paul’s River/Photo Othello Nyenkan/December 13, 2013.

(Uhl, et al., 2012), wrote

“100% of the unprotected hand-dug wells sampled showed the presence of E. coli; 75% of the kiosks sampled showed the presence of E. coli, 67% of the LWSC city water taps sampled showed the presence of E. coli. 52% of the protected hand-dug open wells fitted with hand pumps showed the presence of E. coli. 44% of the drilled wells fitted with hand pumps showed the presence of E. coli.

The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation actually run these kiosks with water lifted by

trucks hailing from the White Plains water treatment plant of the St. Paul’s Water Shed.

3.4. Private Sector’s Participation in Pollution Control s

The involvement of business in environmental management has been gaining headway to

prominence in the development dialogues in recent years (IGD), 2012). Moreover, the

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involvement of businesses in development has been emphasized in the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) and the United Nations (UN) Global Compact.

In Liberia, the involvement of the private sector into environmental management has been

seen in the light of corporate responsibility and more towards philanthropic initiatives. It is

also that the Environmental Management Law in Liberia requires that all activities being

public or private having a significant bearing on the environment undergo an environmental

impact assessment and obtain permit (GoL-Environment Protection Agency, 2002).

3.5 Implications for Voluntary Tools on the Watersh ed

With water users companies, regulatory enforcement is undermined due to technical

capacity lack. However, communities deserve to know as a matter of its human rights

(Scanlon, et al., 2004), the implication of seasonal shortage of water which is a

consequence of shallow depth wells and high abstraction rates of water companies (UKEA,

2003).

Moreover, scarcity of water creates an economic value and for which poor people are

constraint to revert to poor hygiene habits (Brown, 2001). Conversely, when community

farming groups involved in agricultural activities introduce fertilizers and unsustainable

farming practices, water pollution from fertilizers and erosion increases cost of water

treatment for water businesses. In this case where such conditions as these unfold, a win –

win solution is required. Such a voluntary participation is incentivized by the benefit each

party stands to reap

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Fig. 3.5 a Water shortage hit communities as water wells run dry. Photo by Wade C. L. Williams, Published:

14 April 2014

Fig.

3.5 b Penetration of drill boreholes of companies to shallow community wells,

The St. Paul’s Watershed is a scene of water abstraction, open defecation and farming

activities. Using educational programs, watershed management programs, market based

mechanism, incentives programs; awareness raising and education stand to be tested in

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reducing treatment cost for water companies, and farming groups, and facilitating voluntary

frameworks.

Two case studies in Voluntary approaches in Indonesia were considered to inform this

research’s analysis: Unilever Case study in Indonesia and Indonesia’s Program for

Pollution Control, Evaluation, and Rating (PROPER) (Torres & Pareemeta, 2003). The

former as a voluntary initiative solely on commercial interest, as well as in its social interest

as a local corporate citizen undertook the cleaning of the Brantas River, a local river.

Unilever position on the matter was to work with communities and not just donating money,

as “complete solution required a change in people's mindsets and a different attitude

towards the river”. Introducing waste management programs, rehabilitating lavatories to

prevent toileting into river, and tree crops with economic value were introduced to villagers

for planting along the river side (CSREurope, 2010).

On the other hand the former, “Indonesia’s Program for Pollution Control, Evaluation, and

Rating (PROPER) a national level public environmental reporting initiative, the program is

built on the premise that the mechanism of public disclosure and accountability,

transparency in operations and community participation will empower local communities to

achieve effective and sustained pollution control practices. A disclosure of information has

thus shifted significantly the number of companies towards compliance (Khanna, 2001).

The two case studies suggest that voluntary tools do have a place in developing countries

and such approach makes up for regulatory make up when designs are carefully

negotiated. We learn that public disclosure and business interest can motivate voluntary

participation.

In looking at Unilever (2007), it notes “complete solution requires a change in people's

mindsets and a different attitude towards the river whereas commercial interest, as well as

social interest is needed from businesses”. Thus in the confines of the aforementioned, this

21

study “investigating voluntary approach on the St. Paul’s Watershed’’, I attempted to assess

capacities on the St. Paul’s Watershed and thereby proposed a sustainable SWP

framework.

This study aimed to understand and establish the willingness of businesses participation in

waters sources protection at the watershed level; to assess existing resources available to

stakeholders towards water sources protection; to assess stakeholders’ attitudes towards

Source Water Protection; to recommend appropriate model for Source Water Protection

towards water governance in Liberia.

4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

4.1. Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

To carry out the research, field observations, semi-structured and closed ended

questionnaire were used. Although, a structured questionnaire was prepared, the

questionnaire was allowable to follow-up questions. That way more details otherwise

already not captured could be obtained.

A content analysis was used in assessing informants’ position on the study while using the

water resource management capacity criteria from Ivey et al, 2006. Since the follow-up

interviews were audio recorded, a verbatim copy of the interviewee’s response could be

easily documented.

Using Ivey et al (2006) resources indicator, local capacity for SWP was compared to local

situations on the watershed. This provided status on technical, financial, social, and

institutional capacities of the current regulatory system which were tested through

observation on the field along with key informants’ interview.

22

Table 4.1 Ivey et al 2006, Resources Indicator Tool

Resource Indicator

Financial resources Funding is available for source water protection projects

Funding can be obtained from other sources for protecting source water

quality.

Financial mechanisms are used as incentives for source water protection

Human resources There is/are dedicated institutions and/or employees responsible for

protecting source water supplies.

There is availability of and accessibility to individuals with the necessary

skills and expertise needed for protecting source water supplies.

Education and training opportunities for source water protection are available

to interested individuals and Institutions

Institutional Legislation and policies provides for drinking water protection at the local

level.

There are plans, strategies and actions to protect current drinking water

sources and recharge areas through the control of land use activities

Land has been purchased for the protection of water supplies.

Social Clear leadership for water quality protection at the watershed level exists

There is a functional collaboration and networking among the municipality,

public institutions, civil society organisations and communities

Community awareness and support for source water protection has been

developed to avoid conflicts with other activities such as agriculture and

construction

Technical Drinking water standards exist and the drinking water quality is monitored

Data needed to manage water supplies, delineate source water protection

23

area and develop source protection plans are available

Source water areas are delineated in official plans

Water recharge areas have been identified and potential water supply

contaminant sources (point and nonpoint) have been identified

Adapted from Ivey et al, 2006

4.1.1. Selection of Sample

The sample selected was the St. Paul’s Watershed in Liberia. The research area for the

proposal is within the St. Paul’s Watershed Area of Liberia spreading over approximately

21, 000 sq.km. (GoL-LWSC, 1980). Over 100 communities are in this watershed.

For the sampled watershed, major activities include farming, construction works, domestic

sewage, community latrines, generator fueling houses, and chemical storage. The area is

purposefully considered in that it is the principal watershed within which the St. Paul’s

River, a principal river in Liberia provides water to the treatment plant for the over 1,000,000

people of Monrovia.

24

4.1.2. Sampling Method

Fig. 4.1 b. St Paul’s River

The St. Paul’s River/Othello Nyenkan/13 Dec. 2013

Purposefully sampled, The St. Paul’s River is the principal source of surface water and

ground water sustenance for the St. Paul’s Watershed which provides water to over 1

million people within and around Monrovia. The River does have an economic value and

promising health implications.

4.2 Methods of Data Collection

This was achieved using a two way structured questionnaire. An opened ended

questionnaire was introduce to allow for respondents in-depth questionnaire while a closed

ended questionnaire was introduced as a consensus building approach. Participants

received questionnaire earlier for study and later a follow up with face to face for follow-up

question from respondents was carried out. A total of 45 carefully selected respondents

25

were contacted over the 7 months period. Those selected were essentially decision makers

in water related agencies, leads in water producing industries, NGOs and government

agencies in farming, regulatory and agricultural activities and WASH, and as well as

community leaders in their capacity as decision makers.

The questionnaire was structured as such to provide in-depth into

1. Stakeholders’ knowledge and attitude on SWP,

2. Understand the conditions under which Water Sources were being managed,

3. Available resources and those needed in determining a way forward for SWP,

4. Businesses’ perception and willingness on involvement in pollution control.

4.2.1 Primary data

The primary data for this research is data collected by the author through community

discussions or interviews and survey with government, water companies and regulators, as

well as observation to communities, within the sampled Watershed. Data collected was

analyzed for the purpose of answering the research questions.

4.2.2 Secondary Data Sources

The below listed websites are secondary data sources for this research. These sites,

serving as authoritative information sources for the respective Agencies, the DEFRA of the

UK, UNEP and UN Water of the United Nations, as well the US EPA website, Liberia

Environmental Protection Agency and Journals on Environment Management have

provided information of credibility and reliability.

26

4.3 Methods of Data Analysis and Presentation

The data was analyzed proceeding with the following

1. Stakeholders’ knowledge and attitude on SWP.

2. Understanding the conditions under which Water Sources were being managed.

3. Available resources and those needed in determining a way forward for SWP

4. Businesses and stakeholders’ perception on business involvement in pollution

control.

In analyzing the data, validity and reliability was sought in every aspect of the research.

Validity refers to operational methods design for interpreting concepts; for these initial

research questions were provided in dealing with this study and consideration of the

analysis thereto. Also, as for reliability; an assurance that the research could be repeated

as many times for the same result, semi-structured interviews, were tailored to the persons

to be interviewed in relations to water management. This suggests that the questionnaire

could be used to repeat the study by another researcher. The interviews used voice

recorder for subsequent ease in transcription. Observations were carried out with adequate

photographing to improve data reliability.

4.4. The Case Study Research

A case study research is one in which the study “investigates a contemporary phenomenon

within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and

context are not clearly evident” (Yin, 1994). It tries to answer the question,’’ how and why”

a situation. The need for case study becomes necessary where a complex social issue is

to be solved or understood. As in the case of investigating voluntary tools on the St. Paul’s

27

Watershed in Liberia, behavior change is essentially a social research issues which was

being dealt with in this study.

The study became an exploratory case study (research design in which the major emphasis

is on gaining ideas and insights) as in the real- life context as this study sought to discover

and solve issue as the study moved along. The study as an exploratory however does not

provide final answers but intends to provide a relation on what could be done.

5.0 RESULTS Results from the questionnaire follow up with discu ssion is presented below A. Knowledge of Source Water Protection An important part of the questionnaire to was gather stakeholders knowledge of SWP in the capacities as decision makers or influencers. No Category Yes No 1, Businesses 5 5 2 Government 4 8 3. Local Communities 3 15 4. NGOs 1 4 Total 13(30%) 32(70%) B. Willingness to Participate Next there was a considerable need to assess whether people felt the need to partake in SWP with the underlining factor that it was voluntary. No Category Yes No 1, Businesses 3 7 2 Government 8 4 3. Local Communities 5 13 4. NGOs 2 3 Total 18(40%) 27(60%)

28

6.0. Analysis and Discussion.

6.1. Participants Analysis A total of 50 respondents were targeted of which 45 replied during the survey and follow-up

questionnaire interview. 10 individuals as executives from leading water businesses on the

watershed being 22% of the respondents, 12 individuals as key personnel from government

(as decision makers) making up institutions on water governance in Liberia making up 27%,

18 community leaders from 18 sampled communities along the banks of the St. Paul’s

River making up 40%, and 5 National NGO serving in the WASH Sector making the

remaining 11% were covered during the interview.

Fig. 6.1 a. Pie Chart of Participants

Institution Number %

Businesses 10 22%

Government 12 27%

Community 18 40%

NGOs 5 11%

Total 45

Of the 5 respondents who could not partake, 2 were from businesses on the watershed who

simply avoided the survey and the remaining 3 were community leaders who did not have

time to partake in the survey invitation.

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Table 6.1 List of Interviewees

Institutions Number of Participants

Business

Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation 3

Monrovia Breweries 3

Aqualife Bottling Company 1

Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation 1

Forestry Development Agency 1

Vist Bottling Plant 1

Government

Ministry of Lands, Mine and Energy, Division

Hydrology

3

Ministry of Public Works 2

Ministry of Health 2

Ministry of Agriculture, Division of Quarantine 2

Environmental Protection Agency Liberia 3

NGOs

USAID Food and Enterprise Development 1

United Liberia Care for Victimized Children 1

Liberia NGOs Network (Link) 3

Community Groups

(White Plains Community, Brewerville Community, Barnersville

Community, Stockton Creek Community amongst others) 18

30

6.2 Data Analysis Using Ivey et al resource Indicator data collection and analysis as below of Table 4.1:

Resource Indicator

Financial resources Funding is available for source water protection projects

Funding for protecting source water quality can be accessed.

Financial mechanisms are used as incentives.

Human resources Dedicated institutions and/or employees responsible for protecting source

water supplies.

Accessibility to individuals and expertise needed for protecting source water

supplies exist.

Education and training opportunities for source water protection available.

Institutional Legislation and policies provides for drinking water protection at the local

level

There are efforts to protect current drinking water sources.

Land has been purchased for the protection of water supplies.

Social

Clear leadership for water quality protection at the watershed level exists

a functional collaboration of organisations and communities

Community awareness and support for source water protection developed.

Technical Drinking water standards exist, water quality is monitored

Data needed to manage water supplies available.

31

Source water areas are delineated in official plans.

Water recharge areas have been identified. water supply contaminant

sources have been identified

the following findings are provided:

6.2.1 Stakeholders’ knowledge and attitude on SWP .

a. Knowledge

The total number of respondent of 45(100%) did agree that there was a need for Drinking

Water Source Waters Protection. However, only 29 %( 13) had knowledge of Drinking

Water Source Protection Plan or Strategy which was dominated by government and

business respondents. It was clear that 100% of the respondents were mostly aware of

water well head protection not watershed issues.

b. Attitude

Attitude towards the SWP was defined as agreement and awareness of the problem. This

was found out that participants believed that SWP program was possible at a Watershed

level.

Community leadership, comprising 40% (18) of the respondents as decisions makers

supported SWP plan. A social gap was therefore seen in need of development meaning

“that community awareness and support for source water protection had to be developed”.

40% (18) of the respondents did not see involvement of businesses as a workable solution

whilst the rest 60% (27) saw it as worth experimenting. It became apparent that relevant

knowledge on water abstraction and its legality were not evident. Yet social responsibility of

32

business was seen a need for businesses in the water sector by government respondents

and businesses as well.

6.2.2 Current conditions under which water sources were being managed

a. Institutional

At the national level SWP was not seen as part of the plan of any of the respondents. At the

community level 50 %( 9) of the respondents confirm a water management team. The

remaining 50 %( 9) could not declare if the management teams were functional. However

33 %( 6) of the community leader (respondents) said water point protection was not at all a

priority by community leadership. These were seen as gap in the institutional setting for

SWP. In Liberia, such institutional arrangements have been often fragmented. Thus at the

community level, the formation of community water committees to provide governance at

community level also remained fragmented due to lack of coordination.

Generally, community management teams existed at community level but were often

confused over functioning due to competing NGO interest. A government official said,

“we aware that out functions are spread across so many entities, but coming from war, we just have to improve on coordination”.

One participant at a local water company said,

“It’s the role of the Ministry of Lands and Mines (Division of Hydrological Services) to protect water resources in Liberia. ‘’ I think a problem of coordination is hampering environmental issues in Liberia”.

These were seen as gaps in the institutional setting for SWP.

33

b. Policy Issues

18% of the respondents from government said that there were no water laws which have

been undermining the effort. Respondents who partook in the study were aware that no

legislation existed on the book for water sources protection. Participants would always

claim, ‘I don’t think environmental laws are working in this country’ in one instance as said

by a Chemist at the Department of Water at the Ministry of Lands and Mines in Liberia. In

many instances participants were able to identify government as the problem with

regulating pollution.

This gap in regulatory enforcement made it difficult to understand how water source were

being guided. This lack clearly explained that a governance structure at the local level was

indeed weak, and that even though water sources are managed at the community, such

structures have little enabling support and little from central government.

6.2.3 Available resources and needs for SWP

a. Institutional Issues

At the local level respondents 50 % (community leadership) confirm having water

management committee at the local level. Another institution also in place is a Water

Producer Association.

b. Financing Issues

38% of the respondents pointed to financing as challenge for SWP which was essentially

due to the limited knowledge and therefore priority of SWP. However, an issue of priority

was greatly felt as hindrances to the process. This clearly suggested that financial

mechanisms used as incentives, its availability for source water protection projects,

including access were non-existent. Using Ivey et al water resources indicator, an important

34

resources lack pointed out by respondents from the government setting was not necessarily

that they lack institutional arrangement. However limited knowledge by these policy makers

hinders an important resource not being investigated which was the role of businesses in

the overall process.

c. Human Resources

NGOs, 11% of the respondents could point out training in proper land use. However this

was not essentially for SWP as this was for food production. There was therefore

opportunity for education and training for source water protection available, an important

human resource capacity.

Fig. 6.2 Farmers learn Agricultural Practice to stop Nutrient run-off/practice which indirectly reduces pollution to waters, Clay Ashland city, St. Paul Watershed. Photo USAID Food and Enterprise Development Liberia. March 2013.

35

d. Social and Technical Capacities

On the issue of social and technical capacities, Ivey et al indicators, of Fig 5.1 suggest the

followings:

“clear leadership for water quality protection at the watershed level, a functional collaboration amongst organisations and communities, Community awareness and support for source water protection, as well as data needed to manage water supplies, source water areas delineated in official plans, were yet to be fully developed”

One example was that technical issues on water resources at the community level were to

be designed to act in compliance with rules of the “Guidelines on Water and Sanitation in

Liberia”. An important issue arising according to one government official is that,

“donor timing of the projects often posed a problem, many times water wells were constructed during the wet season but often leaving no sufficient water during dry season”.

A functional collaboration amongst organisations and communities still posed a challenge.

Even so at the local level the promotion of WHO Water Standards for drinking water exist

and the drinking water quality should have to be monitored. However, an official at the

Ministry of Health admitted,

“due to low logistics in our Ministry, water companies have sometimes offered to come and take us for water quality sample”.

This however demonstrated a willingness of business towards compliance and opportunity

for enhancing other SWP requirement at a Watershed level

6.2.4 Business involvement in pollution control

Of the total number of respondent interviewed-business and industry group; a total of 5

major businesses on the watershed were invited to the survey being the only major water

36

ones on the watershed. To involve business into an environmental behavior, we mean

“behavior that consciously seeks to minimize the negative impact of one’s actions on the

natural and built world (e.g. minimize resource and energy consumption, use of non-toxic

substances, and reduce waste production” (Kollmussm & Agyeman, 2002). For the propose

of change, the following characteristics were being looked for : knowledge of the current

situation, strategies developed already at local level, leadership in support of new ideas,

record of working with communities, appreciated by the communities, encourage

partnership and is open for information.

a. Knowledge of the current situation.

3 of the businesses 18% of the respondents showed awareness of the impact of their

activity in the community. The bottling companies could admit having generated waste

water but however had limited knowledge on abstraction issues.

However, businesses recognized their social responsibility from an individual sense of

responsibility; even respondents from a water user group could recount the responsibility of

companies to the community how it could be compelling,

“One morning we woke to find a community member had thrown excretes in our fence, and when management saw how embarrassing this was, a meeting was immediately decided to construct toilet for the community”.

b. Record of working with communities(Fig. 6.3)

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

WASH

CASH DONATION

SPORTS

TRAININGS

EDUCATION

AWARENESS RAISING

37

The figure above is a representative of latest effort of community and business relations

with sports and WASH topping the list. In the list we documented that two businesses had

shown interest in community involvement with efforts in WASH and Sports.

Fig. 6.3b Monrovia Breweries constructed Facilities operating on Fees for Use ./Othello

Nyenkan/12 May 2014

Two (2) of the businesses had already developed strategies with communities. There was a

construction of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facility with a regular maintenance.

Communities were receptive to payment for services as a way for caring for the facilities.

c. Encouragement of partnership and openness for information

Respondent however, admitted that encouragement of partnership with other institution was

non- existent.

38

6.3 Implications for Voluntary Approach

From the analysis carried out in section 6.3a, the current situation on the watershed

required from the study a need to understand what voluntary tools are and their anticipated

impact in the current situation. An overview of voluntary tools in SWP as outlined by

Saunders et al, provide that these voluntary approaches are intended to solicit participation

from citizens. “voluntary approaches typically consist of strategies to encourage adoption of

practices to improve raw water quality, without the use of regulation”, (Saunders & de

Loe.R, 2010). The overarching objective of this study is to underline that these approaches

while functioning as information base, incentive based, or in the form of technical

assistance would assist in addressing water source protection as result of pollution from

land use practices, poor hygiene practices, while also introducing cost reduction to

regulators providing that stakeholders are aware of their respective roles.

In view of the above statement, the research questions discussed the conditions for SWP in

Liberia in the case of the current analysis provided in section 6.2. calling for a consensus

building and strategic approach:

1. Can source water protection implementation serve as a catalyst for strengthening

water governance in Liberia?

“Partnership approaches are successful in strengthening existing interventions and creating the right conditions for improvement (both increasing speed of uptake and fostering norms of best practice,” (DEFRA, 2013)

From the study partnership existing between the identified categories of the study had not

taken any formal grounds and therefore this approach towards sustaining water governance

was to be awakened. However the potential exist to promote such partnerships. This was

39

due to the presence of businesses at community level. This tie, existing at community level,

was already being promoted through the exchange of support in the form of sporting

equipment, provision of toilets as the ones constructed by the Monrovia Breweries, and

educational support by these companies to individual organizations on requests.

However, what was missing was the involvement of government as part of the stakeholder

ship and the need for an accountability framework. Such an opportunity for information

dissemination was not been fully translated into these activities thus an establish mode of

action was not being formalized.

In support of water governance, which when defined refers to “the range of political, social,

economic and administrative systems that are in place to develop and manage water

resources, and the delivery of water services, at different levels of society” (Global Water

Partnership, 2003); significant systemic but cost effective changes were seen as needed in

pursuit of water governance.

As a matter of change needed, the failure of the Ministry of Lands and Mines, in its capacity

as water resources manager in Liberia, it is such that it could not allocate water to sectors

accordingly. The evidence as seen on the watershed allowing a private bottling company to

engage in groundwater extraction not only undermined community base water supplies, see

diagram Fig 3.5b, but also denied the LWSC as a statutory water supplier the much needed

revenues when such institutions should be allowed only to connect to the tap water lines of

LWSC hailing that the control watershed actually seats the supply of all population in

Monrovia and from the Liberia Water and Sewerage Corporation.

40

Fig. 6.4 Existing Water Governance in Liberia.

(GoL-SAWA, 2011)

41

Yet governance remains fragmented in the midst of conflicting roles and responsibility

(GoL, 2012,).

Figure above show current effort of the Government of Liberia in addressing fragmentation

and coordination in Water governance in Liberia. A National Water Resources and

Sanitation Board was formed to reduce conflicting roles in the Sector.

Table 6.4 Allocation of budget and financial constr aint level for WASH Institutions

(GoL, 2012)

From the study developing a catalyst for supporting a water governance approach must

initiate a bottom top approach. Thus in serving as a catalyst, the capacity of community

level has first to be established. Such capacity development does has not quite well fallen

under the support of government, thus leaving room for more weakness.

42

Nonetheless, it is possible towards achieving a catalyst for governance although this study

reveals that SWP is not well known but given it has the characteristic of pulling together

actors with common objective and delivering on data and information needed to reduce

transaction cost it is worth exploring.

In summary, strengthening of water governance could be realized through a

• Fully functional water management committees

• Data for companies on abstraction as a means of informing decision makers on

policy issues; as an example, “abstractions over 20 cubic metres per day require an

abstraction license (with some exceptions).” (DEFRA, 2013). As far definition would

entail in this case “Abstraction is the removal of water, permanently or temporarily,

from water bodies such as rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs or from underground

strata.” (DEFRA, 2013). As far as data is concern no available data has been in

Liberia. However effects are felt from drying wells seem from observation as well as

climate change impact resulting to the acute shortage of drinking water at some part

of the year.

• Reporting to communities and the EPA and partnering with other businesses.

2. How could non-regulatory tools be best employed in the St. Paul’s Watershed?

“Industry-led partnership; an example could be catchment management schemes that work in partnership with water companies to address the issues which can influence water quality and quantity across entire catchments”, (DEFRA, 2013).

The study did not fully identify industries wanting to engage in Source Water Protection

since the subject seem new given the size and scope of the subject under research.

However, what it did find was that industries declared to responsibility for their activities on

43

the watershed. We also found that the LEPA was using the ESIA as a regulatory tool but

this was insufficient as they had not been following up on the environmental reporting of

these institutions. As much government institution could state according to the

questionnaire response that they were willing to make open any disclose information, none

of the businesses had presented any report from the study to government from the study

conducted passed the ESIA stage.

In the same, the study identified that current environmental regulations of Liberia are not

specific to legal issues on water which therefore clearly provided where reports were to be

available, such reports should not have had much regulatory requirements on the water.

This has therefore hampered direct regulations on water resources management. On the

one end, the Liberia Water Sewerage Corporations reveal that the EPA as regulatory arm

of Liberia had designated Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Energy to oversee all water

resources related matters. Although, the LWSC secures water for one million people from

this water shed, it lacks the oversight over protecting this water source (New Republic

Liberia, 2014).

Additional, the abuse of communal facilities and as a result of poor financial sustainability

as well as improper coordination at communal entry and limited awareness of SWP

exacerbated the worsening issues. Yet this situation again resulted primarily from a limited

streamlining process of communal intervention and the ownership of facilities.

Essentially the approach for the situation could is been studied addressed from a Source

Water Protection plan using watershed management programs, or an incentive based

program, a market based instruments, or those of education and awareness (Saunders &

de Loe.R, 2010). Such initiatives have shown a promising indication of their successes in

addressing these problems. However as a clear knowledge on source water protection

44

plans and the need to include businesses are missing, engaging aspects of education and

awareness are to be first on the priority for policy makers and all stakeholders.

Additionally the department of water resources of the Ministry of Lands and Mines could

review Water rights according to its mandate noting that LWSC has statutory rights over

urban water supply to Monrovia according to act of 1973 of the Republic of Liberia creating

the LWSC and whereas such streamlining would bring all players on board in preparing for

the water quality and cost that should be borne.

Consequently, the introduction of a payment for environmental services to farmer and

communal facilities should pave the way for ushering a sustainable SWP. Therefore, the

introduction and operation of the Liberia Water Producers Association is critical to the

formation of a voluntary agreement.

3. To what extent can voluntary tools impact the issues of technical, human and

economic capacities for implementing SWP in the St. Paul’s Watershed?

“Payment for Environmental Services, (PES), generally involves a voluntary transaction where an environmental service (or a land use change to secure that service) is ‘bought’ by a service buyer (e.g. Water Company) from a service provider (e.g. farmer) to deliver specific environmental outcomes” (DEFRA, 2013).

A major issue coming out of the study was the lack of financing for implementing water and

sanitation projects. Respondent acknowledged limited priority for protecting water but

essentially due to the fact that financing such was not a top most by government. Similar

concept existed at the community level over limited priority, and that those financing

mechanisms are limited on this.

An important concept which was not fully filtered in to the watershed was the concept of

payment for environmental services. Farmers on the watershed are mostly involved in

45

farming practices, most of which have being unsustainable. By drawing on the Liberia

Water and Sewer Corporation inability to design a source Water Protection water plan on

the watershed, it was evident that fund for sustaining such services were not or that

institutional arrangement were not viable. Our findings however revealed that a streamlining

process was missing in the process. That Liberia Water and Sewerage Corporation’s

inability to initiate SWP was also due to the oversight power given to the Ministry of Lands

and Mines’ Department of Water Resources acting as the oversight for water resources

whose major focus could mostly felt in the mining sector.

However the use of livelihood opportunities provides bedrock on which motivation for

environmental responsibility is seen. In reference to Jiménez et al, “environmental

management in developing countries must seek to reduce poverty whilst achieving

environmental performance (Eskeland & Jimenez, 2011).Thus by training farming groups in

Best Management Practices and a subsidy for use of communal WATSAN facility through

employment creation are livelihood possibilities. Therefore, from the study the involvement

of business at the community level was an important opportunity to capture on in initiating a

payment for environmental services framework.

4. To what extent are businesses willing and able to p articipate in pollution

control in this setting in Liberia ?

“Economic theory suggests that (profit-maximizing) businesses will only participate if there are private benefits they can realize from it and where these benefits outweigh any costs they might incur by participating”, (DEFRA, 2013).

The research could not fully capture the extent of businesses’ willingness to participate. In

most cases it was evident these businesses simply did not care in the onset of protecting

46

water sources at the research’s study level. For most it became an interesting subject of

discussion and therefore one which was simply creating the awareness firstly.

Nonetheless the Monrovia Breweries showed a little of involvement in protecting community

infrastructure although not directly with Source Water Protection. This institution whose

waste products have raised concern in the community along the river has however shown a

degree of willingness in engaging communities in discussing common solution. Much so

other businesses have so far entertained request from communities in areas that

communities have highlighted which have included providing sporting equipment,

contribution base on request from community organization. There is therefore an

opportunity that community leaders being brought to the awareness of the role of SWP

should engaged businesses in deciding approaches for SWP.

Nonetheless the willingness of businesses is established in their economics standpoint

while their ability relates to the administrative capacity of the institution. This ability lies with

the governance structure of the firm (Sibson & Stuart, 2003). It was important therefore to

understand what priorities business would consider in generally working with communities.

However setting priorities by businesses could have been guided as cost effective from a

policy standpoint. Such a policy stand point will be discussed further in the next section of

the study. The LEPA could promote mutual understanding in achieving voluntary

participation as there is the full potential of these businesses through their capacity as

essentially subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations (MNCs).

Additionally negotiations with businesses is further enhance given that most of these

Corporation hardly have finance before investment and it is in their relation with LEPA that

financing institution seeking environmental compliance as prerequisites have provided

funding. Thus designing a voluntary program can be initiated. Therefore it is an agreement

47

that works on the principle that it is more cost effective to reduce pollutants (frequently

agricultural) and improve water quality at the source compared to cost of water treatment

which defines the extent- a potential which actually exist and reduces cost on the part of

the regulators.

However the idea of Source Water Protection remains a new subject from the study results

and that getting businesses involve remains a fundamental discussion and needing more

research. Thus sustaining a Source Water Protection plan is also discussed. Given the

limited involvement of businesses in pollution controls, enhancing and sustaining such an

idea requires a body of education in support of such a policy mechanism. The remainder of

the discussions that follow support needs of such policy tools as well its effectiveness and

sustainability of the St. Paul Watershed.

6.4 Business involvement in Water Pollution Control In Liberia, the involvement of businesses in pollution control promises to still leave more

room for investigation. However, there are significant breakthroughs towards the

sustainability of a framework involving businesses. Essentially, from section 6.2.1b of this

study, it was found out that 40% (18) of the respondents did not see involvement of

businesses as a workable solution whilst the rest 60% (27) saw it as worth experimenting.

Our finding reveals that participants clearly did not see what tie businesses to performing

any voluntary participation.

Thus to bring businesses to a willingness on the watershed essentially first entails their

awareness of their involvement in collective management of the watershed , knowledge of

their impacts on the watershed, available strategies at their level with the issues, and an

agreement about involvement, and information provision of businesses.

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6.4.1 Voluntary Involvement of business

At a policy level, the role of businesses in sustainable development is becoming a new

development approach. The UN Global Compact “seeks to align business operations and

strategies everywhere with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights,

labor, environment and anti-corruption” (Norén, 2004). Towards this, the compact proposes

the following voluntary initiatives for businesses, two of the ten principles are reproduced

here for business case; principle 7; businesses should support a precautionary approach to

environmental challenges and principle 8; undertake initiatives to promote greater

environmental responsibility. Our findings on the watershed provided that businesses in

respect to their sizes and scale had limitations in adopting what was being studied.

Again by reflecting on the concept of voluntary involvement of business, UNEP defines the

term voluntary as, “industry behavior that goes beyond existing environmental laws and

regulations”. (Bruijn & Norberg-Bohm, 2001) notes, “ the use of voluntary, collaborative,

and information strategies can create capacity, transparency, and flexibility; can facilitate

the development of long-term agendas; and provide avenues for greater community and

NGO participation”.

(Borkey et al., 1999), defines it as “the relationship between voluntary collaborative

approaches and regulation as being reciprocal”; which implies that “that voluntary

approaches provide flexibility and cost effectiveness”. (Khanna, 2001), writes “voluntary

approaches have the potential to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental

regulations. Isobel Heathcoat (2007), “voluntary programs give governments the flexibility

to educate potential polluters and encourage movement toward more protective practices,

without the economic burden of more formalized programs (Heathcoat, 2007). Likewise,

49

(Saunders, et al., 2007), in the case for water pollution, “voluntary approaches have

become increasingly common as a tool for water quality protection”.

(Bruijn & Norberg-Bohm, 2001) note “voluntary approaches could be used to compensate

for gaps in capacity to enforce mandatory regulations, to build that capacity, to reduce the

transaction costs of mandatory regulation, and to avoid fostering a “culture of resistance” to

environmental regulation”.

Likewise with Lyon, “in some cases they have served to delay the implementation of

mandatory regulations. Nevertheless, they may be useful steps when scientific information

is imprecise, political will is lacking, or regulatory capabilities are weak. (Lyon, 2013).

The benefit that such policy tools advances can be seen as essential to support the current

regulatory framework. In Liberia, “institutional fragmentations, manpower shortages, lack of

funding, discrepancies in baseline data, are the issues under a failed regulatory regime.

Thus, voluntary participation in this case is, “a concept whereby companies decide

voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment’. (Ikejiaku, 2012).

Therefore awareness raising in Liberia remains critical and as businesses move towards

sustainable development, education and information are crucial; and for standing as major

opportunity was the formation of cluster of water related supplier of water, the Liberia Water

Users Association a group which unites all size of water related companies under a national

umbrella.

6.4.2 Effectiveness in Liberia

The context within which this study is conducted is that firms choose to work with

communities whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a

cleaner environment. Indeed those companies have chosen to be corporate citizens- the

50

role of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in taking socially responsible action aimed

towards ensuring the sustainable development of the communities in which they operate.

That they do so with corporate accountability; this is the obligation of MNCs to account for,

accept responsibility for, and disclose the results of their Corporate Social Responsibility

(CSR) activities.

Therefore in deciding an effective voluntary regime it is one that undertakes a specific

design. Thus, by initiating a specific objective with water companies in Liberia, managing

water sources takes the form of non-mandatory but specific objective towards capacity

building.

Also, the need for a watershed management approach is evident in siting of community

managed facilities and existing water management situation based on findings from the

study. The term ‘watershed’ is normally associated with surface water resources and

describes an area of land that drains downwards towards lower elevations. Watersheds are

generally considered to be the most practical unit for managing water.

This is because impacts are felt at the watershed level, rather than at the level of

boundaries, such as townships, communities or municipalities. Moreover, at the communal

level, community management team control water facilities, however, these management

teams do not have control over the quality of its source water because the source is

impacted by activities that reach far out into the watershed beyond the community

boundaries. At the technical level Source Water Protection area at times have interlocked.

There is clear indication that wellhead protection zones would coincide with other well siting

in which case a watershed management approach becomes justified (see well head

protection table below).

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Table 6.4b Wellhead Protection Practice

(WHO, 2006)

6.4.3 Sustainability in Liberia

Sustainability as defined is “the capacity of intervention to proceed in abstention of any

extended funding after the intervention period”. Water and Sanitation projects in Liberia

have continued to fail however due to a lack of meeting with recurrent costs. This implies

that sustainability as proposed has often failed at the community level due to financing.

However, Source Water Protection at the Watershed requires consistent funding.

(Chittock & Hughey, 2010), identified some features of a voluntary program: Adequate and

consistent funding. Insufficient funding for environmental issues is due to lack of integration

of environment into economic activity. Thus the inclusion or selection of stakeholders must

gear towards achieving sustainable development with the need to consider full integration

of environmental issues into economic activities.

52

Nonetheless, (Chittock & Hughey, 2010) list also a single sector program, “best way to

maximize program results is to include an industry issue so appropriate to initiatives focus”.

In the case of Liberia, such initiative essentially reduces fragmentation since interest

groups; those directly affected can become decision makers and implementers. Similarly it

must ensure transparency and maintain accountability; meaning that companies in Liberia

Water Sector are able to assume information disclosure for what they do as part of their

CSR.

Refusal by water companies to participate in the survey was indeed of great set back to the

study. Companies felt some discomfort with the idea of providing such information.

Moreover in the absence of a water law, water producers seem little obliged to meet any

standards as in the case of information flow. The implication is that voluntary regulation can

indeed not work along but must coexist with other policy instruments. Noting Blackman’s

report on voluntary regulations and developing countries with voluntary approach;

nonetheless there is still prospect for the working of voluntary agreement on the water

shed.

Opportunities are however in existent that need to be fully mobilized to achieve impacts

from voluntary approaches. One member at the Ministry recounts,

“due to low logistics in our Ministry, water companies have sometimes offered to come and

take us for water quality sample”.

The development of baseline data and the development of a precautionary approach at the

watershed level sets the stage for the experimenting of the SWP at the watershed.

Therefore as much as water laws have not been enforced, the negotiating ability of the

Government as evident by its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment provides the

opportunity through which a sector specific negotiation could proceed.

53

Therefore in consideration of the sustainability of any voluntary agreement in the water

sector in Liberia recent development in the sector has provided a policy window for the

integration of voluntary agreement in the sector. From an institutional standpoint the

development of water partnership could be enhanced through the ongoing effort of the

Liberia Water Producers Association LWP. The association was formed out of a need for a

governance structure amongst water producer and sought equity as its prime reason for

formation:

“We started this fight against Foreigners in the water industry in Liberia and our sole

purpose was to protect Liberian businesses and Liberian water producers. We also

establish the Liberia Water Producers Association”

The group undertook its own initiative and due diligence and discovered that there are at

least over 85 water companies existing or working in Liberia.

“Out of the 85 companies we have over 30 of them which are foreign-owned businesses,”

(Sieh, 2010, D.K.Sengbeh, 2010).

Again the adoption of watershed management approached is further sustained by an

ongoing intervention in the Climate Change Project as farmers would also benefit from

incentive base training. The watershed is currently being explored by farming groups and

further environmental implication from pesticides and fertilizers threating the watershed. An

action by the LWPA once equipped with the knowledge of potential threat to the waters

provided can meaningfully contribute to the knowledge base required for further advocacy.

At present the Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) runs a Climate Change Adaptation in

Agriculture Project (CCAAP) which was started in 2011. “The objective of the project is to

54

increase resilience of poor, agriculturally-dependent communities and decrease

vulnerability of agricultural sector to climate change in Liberia (GoL-MoA, 2011).

Therefore that which has been a critical finding is that insufficient knowledge and

awareness as seen from decision makers as well as policy makers exist, and that current

regulatory framework on water resources does not provide for SWP, whereas low capacity

of technical staff, and a lack of information availability by stakeholders (businesses in

particular) on their involvement as well as impacts, and that of community leaderships in

their capacity lack to advocate, have in themselves inhibited the purpose of SWP.

However the inclusion of a voluntary agreement between water producers association and

government must aspire to provide specific aims: setting of specific aims clear that would

be to develop strategies on governance. Furthermore, achieving sustainability in the

absence of a credible threat of legal enforcement can be overcome noting that education

and information disclosure in itself is regulatory.

7.0 CONCLUSIONS Alternative or complimentary environmental management tools in developing countries

must seek to address those issues which are the reflecting realities that they are trying to

influence. It is in this process of mainstreaming environmental management that entails

rationalizing what aspect of regulatory designs are realizable and understanding why some

regulatory instrument cannot gain success in developing countries.

That in this case implementing Source Water Protection (SWP) in serving as a catalyst for

strengthening water governance in Liberia will require that institutional development in

water sector could mainstream voluntary agreements with government to facilitate an

agreed standard upon which to operate. This development of voluntary partnership

55

agreement is essential for enhancing water governance in Liberia. That is, while it is that

laws are meant to achieve compliance the existing pollution of non-point source requires

significant involvement of voluntary tools. This mean that voluntary approaches will work

but if a further capacity is developed - coordination with water businesses - this should be

encouraged.

Additionally in the context of watershed management, efforts at creating awareness in

forest management as well as agricultural inputs and use are critical for the safe protection

of water sources for drinking. The current effort of the Ministry of Agriculture with donor

agriculture group needs to greatly focus on the adoption of data.

Also, where regulatory regimes are not as strong, information and awareness can be as

regulatory in itself. Thus wherein the case of water companies in Liberia present the

special case of limited awareness not only on the part of regulators but also business, in

their attempt to be companies of good reputation with communities, information disclosure

should form a key part of their commitment to good business.

Non-regulatory approach can be introduced at the St. Paul Watershed sustainably and

successfully at the watershed but not however, in the absence of regulation or water

legislation. This means that voluntary approaches will work with regulations but if a further

capacity is developed in the line; such capacity-coordination with water businesses and

information disclosure- should be encouraged.

Additionally, there is a need to introduce economic instruments into Liberia’s environmental

management. The payment of environmental taxes, in fulfillment of the polluters pay

principle should be strongly encouraged and applied fully to institutions or industries that

are high on their use on energy and natural resources. Secondly a motivation to be

56

responsible cannot be fully realized unless incentives are introduced. Moreover, emphasis

on water as natural resources should be considered.

Additionally, there is a need to have the government create an environment that allows for

the development of an enabling institutional environment for coordination among water

companies and related. This would offer opportunities for communities, water producers

and regulators to negotiate their concerns and build credibility for a long lasting institutional

solution towards integrating resource management.

In order to have Voluntary approaches compliment the needed regulatory support as a

policy tool is that complimentary environmental management tools in developing countries

seek to address those issues which are the reflecting realities that they are trying to

influence. It is in this process of mainstreaming environmental management that entails

rationalizing what aspects of regulatory designs are realizable and understanding why

some regulatory instrument cannot gain success in developing countries. Therefore the

willingness to uptake good farming practice may not necessarily imply deliberate

environmentally responsible farmers but an economic benefit derived from proper use of

inputs.

Businesses willingness and ability to participate in pollution control in this setting in Liberia

in SWP is realizable if policy supporting CSR on investment take deeper turn in integrating

mandatory approach on information disclosure as a cost effective regulatory tool with

businesses leading the way. Also, where regulatory regimes are not as strong information

and awareness can be as regulatory in itself.

57

58

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APPENDIX.1. CLOSED ENDED QUESTIONS USED FOR THE STUDY . SECTION 1. GENERAL RESPONSES Knowledge of SWP 1. Do you know about water pollution? Yes � No � 2. Do you know how water pollution occurs? Yes � No � 3. Have you any insight about how water pollution is taking place in Liberia Yes � No � 4. Do you know about Drinking Water Source Protection (SWP)? Yes � No � 5. Has it affected you as a person? Yes � No � 6. Is drinking source water protection supported in any way that you are aware about? Yes � No � 7. Do you see the protection of water as important to our environment? Yes � No � SECTION 3 STAKEHOLDERS RESPONSES GROUP 1 COMMUNITY RESIDENTS 1. Have you been a participant in deciding a way for environmental protection issues? Yes � No � 2. Is there a community leadership in your community? Yes � No � 3. Is your community leadership prioritizing water protection?

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Yes � No � 4. has there being community water management teams in this area? Yes � No � 5. Was there or is there a problem with protecting water points? Yes � No � 5. Have you participated in protecting water access points? Yes � No � 6. Do you think that protecting water is a responsibility for certain group of people? Yes � No � 7. The St. Paul River is a drinking water source; do you think it can be protected? Yes � No � 8. Would your community be able to work with other institutions in pollution issues? Yes � No � 9. Are there barriers you think could restrain your participation? Yes � No � 10. How would you participate in Source Water Protection in your power? Payment for Services � Provide Land Space � Provide Training � Help create awareness � Proper land use � 11 Are you a decision maker in your community? Yes � No � 12. Has your community been able to decide with other institutions on working to protect water points? Yes � No � 13. Was there a monitoring structure and public involvement on this? Yes � No �

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GROUP 2 BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES INSTITUTIONS 1. Is your business having any relationship with environmental issues on water? Yes � No � 2. Do you see a variation in water quality and treatment cost in your business? Yes � No � 3. Was there a variation as per season and noticeable added cost to treatment? Yes � No � 4. Do you see a social responsibility in protecting water sources? Yes � No � 5. Do you see a major boost in the image of your business if you identified with SWP? Yes � No � 6. What activity could you support sincerely in curbing water pollution?

Awareness Placard � Construction of WASH Facility � Recycling of Waste � _____________________ _______________________

7. Do you see a relationship existing between you and the community in curbing water pollution? Yes � No � 7. The St. Paul River is a drinking water source; do you think it can be protected? Yes � No � 8. What would you do OR could be doing in curbing pollution to waters in your surrounding if you had to? a. Education � b. Incentives � c. Awareness � d. Payment for Environmental Services � e. Other___________________________

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9. Would you be prepared to invite communities to discuss about your effort in protecting waters around you? Yes � No � 10. Have you ever presented a document publicly for review showing your effort in protecting the environment? Yes � No � 11. Would you be prepared to display one at any time? Yes � No � 12. Has your business been able to decide with other institutions on working to protect water sources? Yes � No � 13. What barriers could there be in preventing you from working with communities or other institutions? a. Financial � b. Institutional � c. Technical � d. Coordination Problem � e. Other_____________________________ 14. Are you a decision maker in your company? Yes � No � GROUP 3 NGOS 1. Does your local authority stress the need for SWP in your community? Yes � No � 2. Are you willing to partake in water source protection? Yes � No � 3. Are there perceived barriers to implementing Source water protection in your involvement? Yes � No � 4. What barriers could there be in preventing you from working with communities or other institutions Financial � Institutional � Technical � Coordination Problem � None �

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Other_____________________________ 5. What would you do OR could do in curbing pollution to waters in your surrounding if you had? a. Awareness raising � b. Print Placard � c. Train Farmers �

d. Train WASH Group � e.____________________ f.____________________

6. Have you participated in protecting water access points? Yes � No � 7. Was there a problem with protecting water points? Yes � No � 8. Do you think that protecting water is a responsibility for certain group of people? Yes � No � 9. The St. Paul’s River is a drinking water source; do you think it can be protected? Yes � No � 10. Are you are a decision maker in your institution? Yes � No GROUP 4 GOVERNMENT 1 Is there any knowledge of applicable legislations for protecting water sources in Liberia? Yes � No � 2 Is your institution having any relationship on environmental issues with water and water businesses? Yes � No � 3. Are businesses involving environmental integration (environmental taxes) into their economic activities in Liberia? Yes No 4. Do you see barriers to the integration of environmental management into economic activities? Yes No 5. Do you see businesses as major stakeholders in environmental management, in fact for water they use? Yes No 6. Do you see a social responsibility in protecting water sources? Yes No 7. Is there a capacity to negotiate with businesses for sustaining water sources at local and national level? Yes No 8 Do you see a major boost in the image of businesses if they identified with SWP? Yes No

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9 Do you see a relationship existing between you and the community in curbing water pollution? Yes No 10 Have you ever presented or reviewed a document publicly showing your effort in protecting the environment? Yes No 11. What barriers could there be in preventing you from working with communities or other institutions? \a. Financial b. Institutional c. Technical d. Coordination Problem e. Other_____________________________ 12. What challenges do you see with businesses, government, regulators in implementing SWP? a. No Mandate b. Taxation policy c. Institutional issues d. Technical Issue e. Coordination f____________________ 13. Are you a decision maker in your agency? Yes No

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APPENDIX.2. OPENED ENDED QUESTIONS USED FOR THE STUDY General Questions 1. Do you know about water pollution? 2. Do you know how water pollution occurs? 3. Do you know about water Source Water Protection (SWP)? 4. Has it affected you as a person? 5. Is source water protection supported in any way that you are aware about? 6. Has there been problem with protecting water in your region? 7. Do you see the protection of water as important to our environment? Community Residents 1. Have you been a participant in deciding a way for environmental protection issues? 2. Is there a community leadership in your community? 8. Have you participated in protecting water access points? 9. Was there a problem with protecting water points? 3. Do you think that protecting water is a responsibility for certain group of people 4. Has there being community management teams in this area? 5. Is your community leadership prioritizing water protection? 6. Would your community be able to work with other institutions in pollution issues? 7. Are there barriers you think could restrain your participation? 8. How would you participate in Source Water Protection in your power? 9. Are there resources you could contribute to help in protecting water points or the St. Paul River? 10. Have your community/organization/business been able to decide with other institutions on working to protect water points 11. Was there a monitoring structure and public involvement on this? 12. What do you do here for livelihood? Business and Industries Institutions 1. Is your business having any relationship with environmental issues on water? 2. Do you see a social responsibility in protecting water sources? 3. Do you see a major boost in the image of your business if you identified with SWP? 4. Do you see a relationship existing between you and the community in curbing water pollution?

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5. What would you do OR could be doing in curbing pollution to waters in your surrounding if you had to? 6. Would you be prepared to invite communities to discuss about your effort in protecting waters around you? 7. Have you ever presented a document publicly for review showing your effort in protecting the environment? Would you be prepared to display one at any time? 8. Have your community/organization/business been able to decide with other institutions on working to protect water points 9. What barriers could there be in preventing you from working with communities or other institutions? NGOs 1. Have your local authority stressed the need for SWP in your community? 2. Are you willing or able to carry out water source protection on your own? 3. Are there perceived barriers to implementing Source water protection on your own? 4. What would you do OR could be doing in curbing pollution to waters in your surrounding if you had? 5. Have you participated in protecting water access points? 6. Was there a problem with protecting water points? 7. Do you think that protecting water is a responsibility for certain group of people? Government 1 Is there any knowledge of applicable legislations for protecting resources Liberia? 2 Is your institution having any relationship with environmental issues on water? 3 Do you see a social responsibility in protecting water sources? 4 Do you see a major boost in the image of businesses if they identified with SWP? 5 Do you see a relationship existing between you and the community in curbing water pollution? 6 Have you ever presented or reviewed a document publicly showing your effort in protecting the environment? Would you be prepared to display one at any time

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