Exploring the Relationship between Operational and Financial Indicators: The Case of Water and Sewer Utilities

ABSTRACT

There is debate in the literature on whether or not general management principles are applicable to the study and practice of public administration. This research responds by exploring how local officials manage the performance of public services with private good characteristics, where general management principles could be embraced for service delivery. The relationship between operational and financial indicators is explored within the functional areas of water and sewer, with the hypothesis that operational outcomes impact financial outcomes similar to private enterprises. Because the findings do not support this hypothesis, the authors conclude that general management principles may not be applicable to all forms of administration given that public cannot be removed from the management of public services even with private good characteristics.     

水资源开发利用及管理对策分析——以新加坡为例

水资源短缺和水环境污染双重问题正日益成为制约一些国家经济社会发展的瓶颈。新加坡以＂四大水喉＂管理模式实现了水资源的自给自足。该文分析了新加坡在节水用水方面的一些做法和中国水资源状况,提出了中国水资源合理开发利用的对策。     

东北地区水资源一体化管理研究

水资源一体化管理是东北地区区域整合的基础之一,也是节水型社会建设的根本要求。东北地区的水资源一体化管理虽有"松辽管理模式"等的发展基础,但在体制与机制、水市场建设、水资源安全等方面仍存在许多问题。借助国内外水资源管理的理论成果,认为东北地区的水资源一体化管理应该主要理顺管理体制和运行机制、进一步完善安全系统、加快水市场建设步伐、协调好区域水资源配置、加快全区域节水型社会建设。     

以水质标准为中心完善水污染防治法律制度体系

为满足人民对优美生态环境的需求,水污染防治法应确保对排污行为的控制最终能实现改善水环境质量的目标。与控制排污行为的排放标准不同,规定水体中各项污染物容许浓度的水质标准不仅可以将预设的水质目标转化为水污染防治工作的控制边界,还可以通过准确评价政府部门水污染防治工作的实施效果督促水质目标的实现。因此,水污染防治法应确立水质标准在标准工具中的核心地位。完善水质标准需要加强地方水质标准建设,包括推动地方政府协同制定流域水质标准、逐步推动排放标准与水质标准的分离,以及确立防止水质退化制度。相应地,相关水污染防治法律制度也需要做出调整,例如加强水质达标规划制度建设、构建地方自主型的污染物排放总量控制制度,以及加强水质标准与排污许可制度的衔接。     

论环境行政指导在水资源保护中的运用

水是人类赖以生存的物质基础 ,水资源的可持续利用是关系到人类生存和发展的大事。环境行政指导在我国的水资源保护中起着不可替代的作用。     

论水权的优先权

水权优先权具有重要功能 ,是我国水权制度和水市场建立的重要一环。在水权取得方面主要有河岸权原则、先占用原则和所有权绝对原则 ,而在水权优先位序规则的确立上 ,各国因具体情况不同 ,采取的方案也不尽相同。我国在遵循水资源的可持续利用、兼顾公平与效率及遵从习惯、因地制宜三大原则的前提下 ,应确立先占用原则为主的水权取得优先权原则 ,同时承认习惯水权 ,进而构建符合我国实际情况的水权优先位序规则。     

水人权:人权法上的水权

离开了水,人类无法生存.因此,水人权是一项基本人权.这已经为国际法充分承认.国家有义务尽可能利用其现有资源实施水人权.尽管水人权属于经济、社会及文化权利的范畴,是国家应当采取措施逐步充分实现的人权,但国家也负有一定的立即履行的义务.然而,在国家层面上,包括我国在内的多数国家存在一个需要解决的共同问题,即缺乏系统、有效的规定和保护.     

Spatial Distributions of Oxygen Stable Isotope Ratios in Tap Water From Mexico for Region of Origin Predictions of Unidentified Border Crossers

One of the many difficulties associated with identifying undocumented border crossers stems from an inability to narrow down the search area for the region of origin and family members to obtain family reference samples for DNA comparison. While the geography of regions of origins is wide, the biological profiles of the undocumented border crossers often show strong similarities, young and male. The isotopic composition of human bones, teeth, and hair has been demonstrated to be useful biomarkers for tracing locations and movements of individuals and for aiding in the identification of human remains. Data obtained from human remains can be compared to and aligned with various reference sources, such as soils and bedrock, archaeological remains, or cultural data. Here, the spatial deficiency in isotopic reference data for Mexico, specifically for oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotopes in tap water, is being addressed through the collection and analysis of over 150 water samples and explored with tooth enamel isotopic values from recently identified Mexican nationals. The isoscape was developed using a Spine with Barriers interpolation method and shows sufficient detail to narrow down the regions where specific isotopic values are represented. The individuals were plotted on the developed isoscape using conditional correlations. The methodology was successful in assigning the correct regions of origin for the two individuals, which shows the tremendous potential of the developed isoscape. Nonetheless, there is more research needed to further improve upon this geolocation method, including analysis of multiple isotopes in different tissues, and the development of new isotopic methods.     

加大改革力度 缓解水资源危机—关于缓解吉林省水资源短缺状况的几点建议

2000年,吉林省遭受了有气象记录以来的罕见旱灾,致使城乡经济蒙受巨大损失。从根本上改变这一状况,政府责无旁贷。在市场经济条件下,政府应在管水用水治水方面加大改革力度,实现水资源的合理配置。国内外实践表明,对城乡防洪、排涝、蓄水、用水、节水、污水处理及回用等涉水事宜进行统一管理,是符合经济社会发展要求的,也有益于经济社会的可持续发展。     

城市饮用水水源污染防治对策

城市饮用水水源污染已成为制约城市经济、社会发展和人民生活正常需要的一个突出问题。文章针对当前我国城市饮用水水源保护中存在的问题 ,探讨如何强化城市饮用水水源污染防治措施 ,切实做好城市饮用水水源保护工作