No abstract

This paper focuses on partnerships across the state-society divide in the management of bulk water in the state of Ceará, in Northeast Brazil. It examines the creation of Users' Commissions in two of Ceará's river basins-the Lower Jaguaribe/Banabuiú and the Curú. It is argued that the presence of synergy across the state-society divide is critical to guarantee meaningful public participation. In turn, meaningful participation improves decision making at the river basin level and supports positive values in policy making such as decentralization, equity, accountability and transparency.