The Enabling Environment is one of the four pillars of IWRM. It consists of the various policies, legislative, and planning instruments that provide the operational basis for implementing IWRM. The Tools in this Section introduce the range of water-related regulatory instruments and their respective role in setting up a conducive environment for improving the state of water resources management.
The enabling environment comprises the various regulatory instruments that provide a foundation for implementing IWRM. Regulatory instruments include the national, provincial, and local policies, and legislation which make up the “rules of the game”. It allows and enables all stakeholders to actively play their respective roles in the development and management of water resources, and it includes aspects of information sharing and capacity building (GWP, 2000). The enabling environment establishes the rights of all water stakeholders, whether it be public or private individuals, towards ensuring environmental quality and management. A strong enabling environment provides the water sector with a sturdy foundation with established priorities as pillars and the mechanisms to aid in improving water governance. This is so that social, economic, and environmental goals are equally achieved.