Participative planning for water reuse projects : a handbook of principles, tools and guidance

Successful design, implementation and management of many types of industrial or public infrastructure projects strongly depend on the involvement of the institutions, businesses and communities concerned. A participatory planning approach is particularly relevant to water recycling projects where the size and spread of costs, risks and benefits depend on how the venture is planned and managed.
Many of the available guidelines and reference materials on participatory planning and public engagement are written from the viewpoint of a single interest (e.g. NGOs or water supply companies). Such perspectives promote an unfortunate ‘us and them’ approach to participation. This handbook is based on the principle that participatory planning is a learning process for all – not just an exercise in educating one group. Such a perspective implies that there is a wide range of technical and management choices that public input can help to shape.

The handbook aims to provide general principles and practical guidance for anyone wanting to engage in the participatory planning and management of water recycling schemes. It reviews the motivations for and principles of participatory planning and management, describes the types of tools and techniques which can be used to support participatory planning and provides an illustrative protocol for a participatory planning exercise in water recycling. It is designed to support individuals, organisations and communities wishing to plan and manage water recycling projects collaboratively, but it might also be useful for those involved in other types of projects. With recommendations for further reading.