The pending ‘water crisis’

Abstract

An apparent abundance of water on earth would indicate that the quantity of water available for human use is meeting the needs of society. However, recent investigations conclude that there are many areas where the demands are growing beyond water availability and problems arise from intensive withdrawals, mismanagement, or simply low availability. Water resources planners in the next century are very likely to encounter a new and different kind of scarcity; a scarcity that cannot be solved by engineering measures but calls for finding an intricate balance between the interests of a number of actors involved. Water demand is no longer a vital necessity but is one of the claims to be subjected to (political) decision making. Managing the demand of water in the framework of the objectives of a national socio-economic development plan is a challenge in the water planning process. Many technical, legislative and institutional tools are available to support this process. Such planning requires strong mechanisms and political involvement at the national level and a strong social support at the local level.