WATER GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN ENGLAND, GERMANY AND FRANCE

In England, France and Germany extreme water problems, such as drought or excessive floods are less common than elsewhere in the world, although severe weather conditions occasionally create problems. However, flood protection by dikes and dams can be found in many places in these countries. Water borne diseases (Cholera, malaria, bilharzias etc.) are rare nowadays. Risks of cholera outbreaks still exist in some parts, whenever sanitary conditions break down as a result of natural or man-made disasters (earthquake, war). Waters are not yet optimal. Although pollution from scientific sources (waste water disposal from industry) has been reduced, pollution by diffuse sources (e.g. drainage effluents from agricultural land containing fertilizer and pesticide residues) still remains a problem. Administrative set up for water management activities differs from country to country. However, the basic concept of water management is almost the same in all these countries. An attempt has been made in this paper to present water governance and management systems in three bigger and most active countries in the western Europe, i.e. France, Germany, and England.