Building a participatory co-management process based on democratic and inclusive principles is essential for fostering participatory water governance and eco-citizenship. Establishing favorable pre-conditions that integrate intercultural dialogue and various perspectives by combining scientific, local, traditional, and experiential knowledge is crucial for any successful consultative approach. Ongoing collaborative research in the St. Charles watershed, a drinking water source for the Quebec City region, employs Actor-Network Theory to study networks, discourses, alliances, and the maneuvering space among water stakeholders, including citizens and Indigenous representatives. Previous attempts to improve participatory governance of Lake St. Charles have been unsuccessful. Key questions include: What barriers impede changes in the power configuration of the lake’s water managerial structures? How can eco-citizenship develop in this context, and how can citizens organize to feel part of the solution? Early results indicate a deficiency in jointly defining a vision and modalities to reach shared goals among water stakeholders. The democratic deficit and perceived injustices have led to tensions between municipal staff and lakeside residents over wastewater reduction and treatment costs. To improve collaborative water resource planning, key elements include creating a learning community, identifying limits and boundaries specific to interculturality and interdisciplinarity, and establishing meaningful dialogue among partners. In a context that urgently requires planning for climate change impacts and ecosystem resilience, addressing the socio-ecological transition from technocratic water management to participatory water governance is imperative.