AVERT LOOMING HYDROCIDE

Water is increasingly high on international and national agendas. Rece nt assessments show that the conventional focus on supply of water to users, without attention to how water is used or wastewater disposed, has led to serious degradation of water and environmental quality. ''H ydrocide'' is impending; the life-giving qualities of water are obstru cted. Impairment to human health, destabilization of ecosystems, and r epercussions on the economy are widely experienced. The challenge to a vert hydrocide is significant. Investments required to deal with water -quality degradation are, on average, ten times higher, or more, compa red to expenditures on structures for water supply. Financial requirem ents, and a tendency to see water services as free, and without recipr ocal responsibility for the users, lead to heavy pressures on public b udgets and policy makers. To avert hydrocide, a water ethic needs to b e introduced together with incentives and sanctions for proper and res ponsible use of water.