Michal started by carefully monitoring to gather evidence that his approach
could generate enough water even as consumer demand increased in the cities
downstream from Tichy Potok. The "Blue Alternative" also increased the ecological
stability and biodiversity of the region by not requiring sophisticated equipment and
large inputs of energy. It cost approximately 20% of the costs related to the dam
construction and, in addition, implemented by local people, it provides jobs in an
area where unemployment is twice the Slovak average. The community base of this
project has changed the terms of the water management debate. Meanwhile, working
also with the state authorities, he encouraged the water company to adopt policies
for more efficient water use and repair leaks in the system.
In order to increase the empowerment of local communities and their
development, Michal has developed a citizens' project called Village for the Third
Millenium. It promotes privatization with a civic twist: the local governments in the
Tichy Potok area set up a corporation through which they collectively manage the
revitalization of their water resources and sell water to distribution networks
downstream. The income generated is used to maintain the system and is a source of
assistance for local governments and matching grants for local development
initiatives. The Third Millenium project set up an education center for training in
agriculture, alternative energy resource use and agro-tourism. It also publishes a bi-
monthly newspaper.
Michal's dissemination strategy concentrates on two target groups. The first
target group is the professional and academic community. With that community in
view, he organized two summer schools related to his "Blue Alternative," in
collaboration with the Technical University in Kosice, and he is in contact with the
Dutch-sponsored International River Environmental Project. The second target
group is the general public, which is addressed and served by extensive media
coverage of public events including, for example, the public auction of children’s
paintings on the theme "Living Water."
The decision reached at Tichy Potok was the first time in 50 years that local
Slovak communities took an independent decision about the land on which they live.
The project generates community stewardship of land which had been collectivized
and had caused widespread economic and environmental destruction. It was the
beginning of local empowerment that stretched across to other areas. In Michal's
words, "We are trying to show people that the cornerstone of democracy is speaking
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