THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROCESS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

This academic article aims to examine the process of community empowerment for sustainable water resources management, emphasizing that the development of community capacity is the core foundation for effective and continuous water management. The integration of Henri Fayol’s management principles, Planning, Organizing, Commanding, Coordinating, and Controlling with the national Water Resources Management Master Plan covering six strategic dimensions provides a clear and systematic operational framework and promotes participation from all sectors within the community. This integrated process enables communities to play a central role from the stages of collective thinking and planning, organizational structuring, and activity implementation, to coordination with relevant agencies and continuous monitoring and control in accordance with local contexts. It comprehensively addresses domestic water supply, water security for productive sectors, flood and disaster management, water quality management and conservation, watershed forest restoration, and systematic governance mechanisms. The application of the POCCC principles strengthens community cohesion, clarifies roles and responsibilities, fosters collective learning, and supports evidence-based decision-making grounded in local knowledge. As a result, water-related problems can be addressed more appropriately, conflicts are reduced, water security is enhanced, and risks associated with floods, droughts, and water quality degradation are mitigated. The knowledge generated from this study demonstrates that sustainable water resources management can be genuinely achieved when communities are positioned at the center of governance and are empowered through structured and continuous processes.