Bratieres, K.

Jadraque, C.

I-Revues

NOVATECH 2016 
1 
Integrated Urban Water Management – Where to for 
capacity building? 
Gestion intégrée de l’eau en milieu urbain – Quelle 
évolution des compétences ? 
 
Katia Bratieres et Carol Jadraque  
 
Clearwater (Melbourne Water), Melbourne, Australia 
corresponding author : katia.bratieres@clearwater.asn.au 
 
RÉSUMÉ 
La nature pluridisciplinaire de la gestion intégrée de l’eau présente d’importants défis pour tous les 
acteurs de l’eau en milieu urbain. Afin d’arriver à la mise en œuvre d’une gestion intégrée des eaux, 
les lacunes des capacités actuelles doivent être identifiées, comprises et abordées. En 2014/15 
Clearwater, une organisation australienne de renforcement des capacités opérant dans la gestion 
intégrée des eaux urbaines, a entrepris une étude approfondie pour identifier les lacunes de capacité 
qui font obstacle à l’adoption et la mise en œuvre d’une gestion intégrée de l’eau. 
Au total, 177 participants ont été engagés par le biais d'entretiens en face-à-face, de groupes de 
discussion et d’un sondage en ligne. Les résultats suggèrent qu’il est nécessaire d’orienter le 
renforcement des capacités vers : 
• le développement des compétences ‘douces’ (par exemple l’engagement ou la gestion du 
changement)  
• les compétences utilisées à l'intérieur et entre les organisations (par exemple les procédés ou les 
réseaux professionnels) 
• les acteurs qui ont un pouvoir décisionnel 
• d'autres secteurs (autre que le secteur de l'eau – la planification urbaine par exemple). 
 
ABSTRACT 
The multi-disciplinary nature of integrated urban? water management (IUWM) and the number of 
stakeholders involved in urban and water planning present significant challenges to the water industry. 
For organisations and individuals to embrace and successfully implement IUWM, current capacity 
gaps need to be identified, understood and addressed. In 2014/15 Clearwater, a leading Australian 
capacity building organisation, undertook an extensive study to identify IUWM capacity needs in the 
water industry. 
A total of 177 participants were engaged through face-to-face interviews, focus groups and an online 
survey. Results show that there is a need for capacity building to shift its focus: 
• To the development of ‘soft' skills (e.g. engagement, change management, etc.) 
• To competencies and aptitudes used within and between organisations (e.g. processes, networks, 
etc.) 
• To target stakeholders with decision-making responsibilities 
• To include audiences from other sectors (than the water sector), such as urban planning. 
 
KEYWORDS 
Capacity building, integrated water management, needs analysis 
SESSION 
2 
1 INTRODUCTION 
The multi-disciplinary nature of integrated urban water management (IUWM) and the number of 
stakeholders involved in urban and water planning present significant challenges to the water industry. 
It is well understood that, for organisations and individuals to embrace and successfully implement 
IUWM, current capacity gaps need to be identified, understood and addressed appropriately (Brown et 
al., 2006; Clearwater et al., 2011; Jennings 2012; Melbourne Water, 2013; Morrison et al., 2010). In 
2014/15 Clearwater, a leading capacity building organisation, undertook an extensive study to identify 
IUWM capacity needs in the Victorian water industry.  
 
2 METHODS 
2.1 Data collection 
The main data collection process involved direct engagement of 177 stakeholders through face-to-face 
interviews, focus groups and an online survey (Table 1). Participants included representatives from 
peak bodies as well as industry practitioners. This data collection process was complimented by a 
number of existing data sets such as reports and desktop studies, which were used to inform the 
choice of thematic prompts for interviews and focus groups, and verify the data collected by direct 
engagement and provide insights into the findings. 
 
Table 1 : Study participants (in no particular order) 
 
TO
TA
L 
Co
n
su
lta
n
ts
 
W
at
er
 
Au
th
o
rit
ie
s 
 
Lo
ca
l 
G
o
v
er
n
m
en
t 
De
v
el
o
pe
rs
 
 
Co
n
tr
ac
to
rs
 
St
at
e 
go
v
er
n
m
en
t 
Ed
u
ca
tio
n
 
an
d 
Re
se
ar
ch
 
In
st
itu
tio
n
s 
O
th
er
s 
(e.
g.
 
co
m
m
u
n
ity
, 
No
t-f
o
r-
pr
o
fit
, 
tr
ai
n
in
g 
et
c.
) 
 Vi
ct
o
ria
 
Interviews 46 2 
9  
+ 1 CMA 
12 12 5 2 2 1 
 
100
% 
Focus 
groups  15 3 - 4 6 - 2 - - 
 100
% 
Survey 116 15 30 30 2 1 13 9 4  (+ 12 unknown) 
 
83% 
TOTAL  177 20 40 46 20 6 17 11 17   
 
 
2.2 Data analysis 
A capacity assessment framework, adapted from Brown et al (2006) and Van de Meene and Brown 
(2007) – refer to Figure 1 – was used to sort the data and determine the IUWM capacity gaps and 
needs of the industry. The framework is grounded in international best practice and is consistent with 
capacity building research in Australia.  
 
NOVATECH 2016 
3 
 
Figure 1 : Summary of IUWM capacity gaps / needs raised by stakeholders 
 
Importantly, the framework goes beyond an assessment of (a) individual capacity (including a person’s 
skills and knowledge), to include three other capacity spheres: (b) intra-organisational capacity 
(referring to the capacity within an organisation, e.g. efficient processes within local councils to support 
the uptake of IUWM), (c) inter-organisational capacity (referring to skills demonstrated between 
organisations, such as cooperation between stakeholder groups), and (d) institutional rules and 
incentives (referring to the wider framework which includes governance and legislation for improved 
uptake of IUWM). 
The multi-disciplinary nature of integrated water management (IUWM) and the number of stakeholders 
involved in urban and water planning present significant challenges to the current water industry. For 
organisations and individuals to embrace and successfully implement IUWM, current capacity gaps 
need to be identified, understood and addressed appropriately. In 2014/15 Clearwater, a leading 
capacity building organisation, undertook an extensive study to identify IUWM capacity needs in the 
Victorian water industry.  
 
3 RESULTS 
Key insights from the engagement study included (refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2):  
• Issues of leadership, direction and linkages between industry players were dominant for a majority 
of respondents. Areas for improvement include clear roles and responsibilities, and better 
communication and coordination between organisations involved in IUWM. 
• Most participants had difficulties understanding the real value and benefits of IUWM to their 
organisation. Linked to this were concerns about how to apply IUWM in a resource constrained 
environment.  
• Officer level respondents in particular reported a lack of organisational commitment - often due to 
issues with internal communication and collaboration across departments or a lack of senior level 
support.  
 
SESSION 
4 
 
Figure 2 Barriers and challenges to IUWM implementation – prioritisation of needs (Clearwater survey 2015)   
* For the purposes of the survey, the capacity building model was simplified. 
 
NOVATECH 2016 
5 
• Whilst overall, the need for an improvement in individual capacity was considered smallest, many 
participants noted that IUWM requires a broader skill set and knowledge base. This means going 
beyond purely technical skills to include (1) skills such as systems thinking (rather than 
components-thinking) and intergenerational (or adaptive) thinking, (2) being able to influence 
within and between organisations and (3) build a strong business case for IUWM projects and 
approaches. 
 
4 OUTCOMES 
This project identified a wide range of capacity building needs in the area of IUWM. In general, the 
results showed that IUWM is an engagement and investment problem, rather than a technical 
problem.  And because it is a systemic problem, the solution lies in systemic thinking – an ability to 
bridge organisations, to bring different practices and cultures together and broker dialogue and 
partnerships across silos. 
For capacity building programs, which have traditionally focussed on addressing individual (technical) 
capacity with lower level officers in the water sector, this means:  
• Efforts in individual capacity should concentrate on ‘soft’ rather than purely technical skills; 
• There is a need for a greater focus on organisational strengthening activities (targeting intra- and 
inter-organisational capacity); 
• There is potential in shifting/expanding in target groups from (1) lower level technical officers to 
middle/higher management officers with decision-making responsibility, (2) converted to 
unconverted audiences, including audiences from other sectors than the water sector. 
• Greater collaboration is needed with key players in the industry and other national or interstate 
capacity building programs. 
 
5 CONCLUSION 
Clearwater is currently using the results and outcomes from this research to align existing and develop 
new capacity building activities, and ensure their effectiveness is thoroughly monitored. The program 
will focus on effective partnerships to ensure reach and collaboration efforts are strengthened and an 
integrated approach is pursued where interstate capacity buidling programs, research institutions and 
other stakeholders pool resources together and complement each other’s skills and strengths. 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHIE 
Brown, R.R. Mouritz, M. and Taylor, A. (2006), Chapter 5: Institutional Capacity, in Wong, T (ed.), “Australian 
Runoff Quality: A Guide to Water Sensitive Urban Design”, Engineers Media, Crows Nest, NSW, 5/1-5/20. 
Jennings, A. (2012), Building capacity with regional and rural councils – Water Sensitive Urban Design and 
Integrated Water Management, Paper presented to National Stormwater Conference, Melbourne, 15 - 19 
October 2012 (unpublished). 
Melbourne Water (2013), Stormwater Needs Analysis for Local Government, Melbourne. 
Morison, P. Brown, R.R. and Cocklin, C. (2010), Transitioning to a waterways city: municipal context, capacity 
and commitment, Water Science and Technology, 62(1), 162 – 171. 


Gestion intégrée de l’eau en milieu urbain – Quelle évolution des compétences ?

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Gestion intégrée de l’eau en milieu urbain – Quelle évolution des compétences ?

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