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Introduction"Water is a basic human need and a key component of development - it is a fundamental resource for food production as well as for enhancing social well-being and providing for economic growth. It is also the lifeblood of the environment. Already today, it is a scarce resource in large parts of the world." (G8 Initiative on Conflict and Development)".
Traditionally the sector has: Provision of safe drinking water, flood protection, drainage and sanitation rank highly among the needs of societies. By now, most of cities of the developed world rely on "all by networks". These systems are now proving not to be effective or efficient in the developed world. Further more, they are very expensive. Nevertheless, holistic approaches, based on a sustainable urban management could offer a way out. This will imply to find new ways of dealing with water in the cities. Even if essential, the required scientific and technological changes will be inefficient without more flexible institutional arrangements and increased water awareness among all stakeholder groups. For more detailed information: |