Descriptive Fields
Assessing and improving water governance is a core ambition of the InnWater project. Recognizing that effective governance is foundational to achieving sustainable, resilient, and equitable water systems, InnWater has developed dedicated tools and methodologies to help stakeholders analyze, compare, and strengthen governance arrangements across diverse contexts.
This section introduces the Water Governance Assessment Tool, a digital and participatory instrument designed to identify governance gaps, highlight strengths, and guide reforms. Built on internationally recognized principles, such as those of the OECD, and enriched by the project’s own experience, the tool evaluates key indicators including transparency, accountability, participation, and efficiency. It enables users, local authorities, basin organizations, policymakers, and citizens, to visualize governance performance, prioritize areas for improvement, and support evidence-based dialogue among stakeholders.
Alongside the assessment tool, InnWater has compiled a catalogue pilot sites and replication territories. These sites showcase best practices, innovative solutions, and lessons learned from both successes and setbacks in water governance. By sharing concrete examples, ranging from participatory forums in Figueres to adaptive management in Middle Tisza, this section provides practical guidance for adapting governance tools to different institutional, social, and environmental realities.
Interactive learning elements, such as self-assessment exercises and scenario-based challenges, empower users to apply governance indicators, explore real-world cases, and develop their own solutions. Together, the assessment tool and case study repository form a dynamic learning environment, supporting continuous improvement and the replication of effective governance models throughout Europe and beyond.
This approach reflects InnWater’s commitment to fostering a culture of evaluation, transparency, and shared learning, key drivers for transforming water governance in response to 21st-century challenges.