This paper investigates emerging models of governance for shared water resources in decentralized urban regions in Indonesia and draws on a case of inter-local government collaboration for shared water resources in Cirebon region, Indonesia. The paper points to cooperation practice involving a mixed-model of governance for sharing water. by identifying a series of requirements for mixed governance. This model suits well not only because of the regional nature of water resource management in general, but also because such a model is likely to strengthen trust, increase transparency, and provide more equal positions among regions or stakeholders involved. Crucially, this model tends to decrease problematic levels of local autonomy and inter-local rivalry, which currently appears as a major challenge for shared water resource cooperation attempts in the decentralizing contexts of Indonesia and beyond.
Under new democratic regimes in the countries of the Global South, governance innovation is often found at the regional level. This article, using the concept of institutional capacity, shows that powerful efforts affecting regional water resource coordination emerge locally. The article analyses fresh water cooperation in the urban region of Cirebon, Indonesia. It is shown that the city and its surrounding regions in decentralising Indonesia show signs of increasing institutional capacity between local actors. An informal approach and discretionary local decision-making, influenced by the logic of appropriateness and tolerance, are influential. At the same time, these capacities are compromised by significant inequality and a unilateral control of water resources, and they are being challenged by a strong authoritarian political culture inherited from a history of centralised government. The article points to the need to establish greater opportunities for water governance at the regional level to transcend inter-local rivalry, and thus improve decentralised institutional capacity further.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
