Water users’ Association
Salient points
What is a water users’ Group?
It is a voluntary association of users of water from a common source such as Surface and
ground water (basins, rivers, streams, canals, swamps, lakes, glaciers, check dams,
springs, Karazes and wells)
They are unregistered association of people which may consist of 20 -60 members. The
formation is done by a chief promoter who is chosen by the people and election to two
representative is conducted by the group. The two representatives call the chief and the
deputy chief. They represent the interest of the water users group in the water users’
association. They also lead the group in all the activities of the group such as water
distribution, channel cleaning, appointment of Mirab etc., The water users’ group do not
have elaborate book keeping. The important record that they have is the minutes book in
which they record the happening and resolutions of the meeting which is signed by all the
members who are present for the meeting. The rules of the group are written in the first
page of the minutes cum resolution note book
Examples of water users: Agriculture farms, livestock farms, gardens, local people,
people of the desert that take water by tankers, water mills, Nomads, Micro-hydal
projects, factories, industrial production centres.
Who can be a member of Water users group?
All those use a common water source can become a members of a water users group
voluntarily
What are the objectives of the water users group?
The objectives of forming water users group is two fold
1. To facilitate economic use of water
2. For arranging fair distribution of water to all water users
What is a water users association?
It is the volunteer group of real and legal persons for water use with regard to the use of
water.
2 representatives from each water users group will go sit as general body member of the
water users association. There will be several water users groups for a common water
source. All these water users groups federate and from a water users Association at the
district level.
The general body of the water users’ association would elect a board of director. The
number of board of director is not fixed and it varies from 5 – 19. But the ideal size is 13.
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The size is determined by the first formation general body meeting of the water users
association.
The term of office the elected board of the water users’ Association is usually 3 years and
a board member can be get re-elected to a maximum of 3 times
After the board members are elected by the founding members of the general body the
elected members will chose a Chairperson, Vice chairperson, Secretary and a treasurer
for the association.
Each water users group select a Mirab for their group and he is paid and supervised by
the Water users association
Water users’ Association’s managing board (MB) in turn forms three committees as
listed below
1. Finance Committee
2. Supervision Committee
3. Water Management Committee
The Managing board members donot get salary for the first six month of their assuming
office. After that the association will decide their salary in the general body meeting.
Usually the Chairperson get 1500 Afgs per month and the Board members get 1000 Afgs
per month
What are the concerns of the present system of water administration?
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The lack of a sustainable water rate
The issues of ownership of the asset (Irrigation structures and control units)
Non-payment by water users (Habituated too)
Non-provision of service by Mirhabs or ministries/cooperatives
Ageing of water distribution systems and their poor condition
Acute water supply shortages
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 Intrinsic failure of effective service
 Lack of competence and capacity at both village and farm level to economic use
of water and effective distribution
 Lack of a willingness and ability to pay for services/infrastructure
What is the organizational structure of Water users Association Looks like?
General Assembly (GA) comprising all water
users or a Representatives of Water users Groups
representatives from water courses
P
Policy
Level
Managing Board (MB) elected by the GA
headed by a chairperson
Finance committee:
elected by the MB
Supervision
Committee elected by
the MB
Water Management
Committee: elected by
the MB
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Employees of Water users
Association (Mirabs,
Manager, Accountant etc., )
Day to
Day
Why water users’ Association is necessary?
Water is a scare resource and is wasted of the following reasons
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1. People waste the water due to ignorance of how to use the water judiciously
(Excess use of water or wrong farming system or water consumptive crops etc.,)
2. Due to non-upkeep of the channels the water is wasted by digression
3. Theft of water happens on the conveyance (Put to illegal use)
4. Water seepage occurs due to poor conveyance facilities
With the result water is not available to the tail end user of water sources. Hence water
has to be used judiciously according to a plan decided democratically and implemented
scrupulously with out fear or favour. There should be an ombudsman to sit on judgment
and settle disputes.
Hence water users association is formed at district level to attend to these issues. Water
users’ Associations are registered organization with the Ministry of Energy and Water as
per Article 10 section 13 of water law of Afghanistan, 2008
What is the benefit that the farmer gets if he joins water users group to from a
Water users Association?
The farmers by joining together in a WUA can have some of the following potential
benefits:
 Equitable water distribution among farmers regardless of their location, type of
farm or size of farm
 More reliable water supply
 Water supply becomes responsive to crop needs
 Quick dispute resolution at the local level
 Well-maintained canals (reducing the time of irrigation due to fewer fluctuations
in discharge, reduced losses etc.)
 Less water theft / stealing.
What is the connection between the water users association and the Community
development council?
The Community development councils will form a water sub committee. The members
this sub committee would be the chief promoters of the water users groups They organize
the water users groups and conduct election to the representative for the Water users
Association.
Who are the different stake holder of water resources and what are benefit they
derive?
The stakeholders and are individuals or groups of individuals who have a vested interest
in the water
resources. They can be:
_ agricultural users,
_ managers,
_ inspectors,
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_ legislators,
_ those who have an advantage (a benefit) or disadvantage (a detriment) by the way in
which the water is managed.
What is water tax or user charges?
Usage of water is free but the water service provider may charge the users for costs
related to , supply storage, transfer, storage, diversion and treatment of water and other
operational and maintenance activities relating to water distribution and irrigation
systems, in accordance with specific regulations. This is called water tax and is decided
by the Water users Association in consultation with the Ministry of Economy.
What is a water right? What is a water permit?
According to water law the all the users of public water source and those who pay
regular water tax are entitled to use some portion of water from the source which is called
a water right.
Water permit is an official document to be issued for using of water resources according
to the provision of this law. However the use of water for the following purpose do n’t
needs a permit to use public water
1. drinking and livelihood, provided that a family consumption does not exceed 5
cube meters per 24 hours.
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2. navigating, provided that the ship does not affect the sea/river coast and its
adverse impacts on water quality does not exceed the approved standard.
3. fire extinguishing.
4. The existing water rights
What are the activities of the water users association?
The major activities of the water users association are listed below
1.
2.
3.
4.
To prepare and implement the water distribution plan
Collect taxes or users charges
Clean up and up keep of channels and irrigation structures
Resolve conflict that arises between the different water users and between the
groups
What are the responsibilities of the Managing Board of the water users Association?
 Overall control and supervision of all the channels linked to the main water
source
 Fix and collect the water tax or the user charges
 Appoint Mirabs and Chok Mirab on recommendation of the water users’ groups
and supervise
 Conduct members meeting and take decisions of water distribution and channel
upkeep
 Divest or take away the water rights if the water tax is not paid
 Conduct of training and education programs on water management and water
conservation
What are the (suggested) qualifications of the board of the directors of water users
Association?
He or she should be
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Land owner
Literate
Honest person with no police records
Resident of the area
Un-biased and even minded
What are the responsibilities of the Finance committee?
The following are the major responsibilities of the finance committee (The managing
board may assign some additional responsibilities apart from the following)
1. Collect taxes or user charges and penalties
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Open account in the name of the association in a Bank and operate
Deposit the money collected in the bank or keep it in safe custody
With draw money with the permission of the board
Spend the money according to the orders of the Board of management
Prepare financial statement of the association for its own meetings and for
submission to government department
7. Maintain all financial record of the association
In general it is the accounts department of the Water users Association
What are the responsibilities of the Supervision committee?
1. Supervision and control of Mirabs
2. Channel maintenance and upkeep of irrigation structures such as dividers, dams,
weirs, sluish, Channels etc.,
3. Supervision of community contribution in term of labour for upkeep or cleaning
of channels and upkeep of Irrigation structures
4. Penalise the illegal water tapping and wastage
What are the responsibilities of the water management committee?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Devise a water distribution plan and get the approval of the general body
Implement the water distribution plan through the array of Mirabs
Resolve conflicts in water distribution
Decide on limiting supply of water during water shortage periods
What are the duties of the Mirabs?
 Water intake management into the water users groups’ area
 Water off-take regulation according to the Water users association distribution
plan
 Keep records of the distribution
 Control of Gok Mirabs
 Inform all the members of water users group about channel cleaning and other
irrigation structure upkeep works
 Keep attendance of the waged labours and voluntary labours provided by the land
owners who enjoy water rights
 Bring offender of water law and those who steal water or waste water to book
 To inform the conflicts to water management committee
 To serve as a communication media between the Water users association and the
water users group
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Can you elaborate the steps in social mobilization of water users groups and
formation of Water users Association?
STEP 1: Build friendly relationships, and create awareness about WUA, its benefits,
structure of WUA, its role, functions and how it is organized with farmers, their leaders,
representatives of the water management organizations in the area
STEP 2: Identify essential components of Irrigation and drainage service Plan
STEP 3: Consult the Water Users on Appropriate Organizational Design, characteristics
of the elected representatives, and the way they would like to choose their representatives
along each watercourse for forming the Representative Assembly
STEP 4: Representative election Meetings for Watercourses level Water Users Groups
(WUGs) and for the Representative / General Assembly
STEP 5: Introductory Meetings of the Representative Assembly
STEP 6: Selection of WUA Council, Chairperson of WUA, Finance, Water
Management and Supervision Committee members
STEP 7: Preparing the Founding Documents
STEP 8: Adopting the Normative Charter, By-laws, and other documents
for registration and applying for registration
STEP 9: Capacity-Building and Training for Management
STEP 10: System Management Transfer to WUA
What are the different phases of Social Mobilisation for Formation of Water users
Association and indicate the time frame?
Phase (1) Rapport and knowledge building phase
The mobilizing teams become familiar with and accepted by the stakeholders in the
proposed sites and develop a detailed understanding of the conditions in the irrigation and
farming systems in which they work.
Phase (2) Problem analysis and service identification phase
Field teams carry out group exercises with the farmers and assist them to analyze the
nature of the problems related to agriculture and irrigation management and develop a
draft irrigation service plan for each site including the irrigation service objectives and
functional requirements for meeting those objectives and the methodology to monitor
later whether or not those objectives are met.
Phase (3) Organization building phase
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A series of stakeholder consultations and group meetings are carried out during which the
participants discuss and develop the new institutions based on information provided by
the mobilisers and other technical specialists
Phase (4) Capacity building phase
The water managers and users, as well as other stakeholders, participate in training
activities, which prepare them for their roles and tasks in water resource management.
The training methodology should be practical and involve many on-the-job components,
as during this phase the stakeholders would be carrying out their new tasks and practicing
their new skills. Emphasis should be placed on solving the real problems arising in the
context of irrigation management with the support of trainers and mobilisers. Training
can be provided by ACTED staff (irrigation engineers, agronomists, financial /accounting
/ administrative staff etc. or by partner organizations such as FAO, Farmer’s Associations,
other existing WUA, government agencies etc.
Phase (5) Management transfer phase
The management responsibilities would be legally transferred to the WUA and Canal
Water Committees and post – transfer support services provided. By this stage the project
has already built a monitoring, evaluation and feed back component in its social
mobilization.
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