SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Assist.Prof. Mylopoulos Yannis, Dr. Kolokytha Elpida Aristotle University of Greece

At risk is the water system that we depend on for our survival. “ When the well's dry, we know the worth of water ”. Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746

“Sustainable development is the development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs”. Brundtland Commission, 1987 Our Common Future

Water crisis The amount of available fresh water to any country is nearly constant for all practical purposes. Water is an essential requirement for all human activities, so as the total population increases so does human activities and water requirements Almost all easily exploitable water resources have already been developed. As human activities have increased so have the discharges to the environment which have contaminated many surface and groundwater resources.

THE VISION “Every human being should have access to safe water for drinking and sanitation, and enough food and energy at reasonable cost. Providing adequate water to meet these basic needs must be done in a manner that works in harmony with nature.”

It takes over a month to starve to death, but you will be dead in three days if you don’t find any water to drink.

Today’s Situation Old problems: more than one billion people DO NOT have access to water supply and 3 billion DO NOT have adequate sanitation. New problems: “environmental degradation” Aquifer depletion Deforestation and land degradation Water contamination Augmentation of the rate of extinction of freshwater fish species

A Vision Today for Water Tomorrow The five key actions to achieve these objectives are to: 1. Involve all stakeholders in integrated management. 2. Move to full-cost pricing of water services for all human uses. 3. Increase public funding for research and innovation in the public interest. 4. Recognise the need for co-operation to improve international water resource management in international water basins. 5. Massively increase the investments in water.

SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT can be achieved : Integrated water management Demand Driven Water management Considering water as an economic resource Decentralized and participatory water management

Integrated Water Management All aspects of water resources are integrated through a comprehensive Water Management Master Plan. Global consideration of Water Resources Systems Decision-making be informed and scientifically and technically sound

Integrated Water Management Every river basin system should be managed holistically No discrimination between quantitative and qualitative aspects of Water Management Cross-sectoral integration of urban, agricultural,industrial or energy related aspects.

Demand management Control of demands through modifying both economic activities and social behavior towards more sustainable water management practices. Use and application of economic instruments and incentives.

Managing water as an economic resource The full economic value of water must be recognized. Without full cost pricing the present vicious cycle of waste, inefficiency, and lack of service for the poor will continue. Full cost pricing gives a sense of ownership and responsibility to the user.

Decentralized and participatory water management Water should be managed at the lowest appropriate level., taking into account also land integration. Centralized and sectoral approaches have proved insufficient to address local water management problems. The administrative structures need to change to enable users, local institutions and the private sector as well, to play a more active role.

Decentralized and participatory water management Water management has been overly centralized, with little stakeholder and private sector involvement. The active involvement of the private sector can considerably improve the dismal, technical and financial performance that characterizes most public utilities. Local community empowerment and participation are the basic building block of any participatory approach.ocal

Recommendation We need to get started now. We need to adopt these new concepts so that the best practices of the few will become the standard practices of all. Who will make it happen? WATER IS EVERYBODY’S CONCERN