A recent Millennium Ecosystem Assessment conducted by experts from 95 countries concluded that a substantial fraction of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth, including freshwater, are being degraded or used unsustainably. This book examines the underlying causes and suggests ways and means to reverse this alarming trend. The objective is not only to raise public awareness of water-related matters but also to suggest innovative new concepts in freshwater conservation and management so as to inspire policy makers and water supply managers to look at these matters critically from a new perspective. Tangible improvements in the sustainable use of freshwater resources can be made by protecting and enhancing local watersheds, reducing water pollution, improving the availability of good quality water and the efficiency of environmental sanitation services, and promoting public health. The monograph gives brief accounts of a variety of aquatic resources, water harvesting, and water for development and health. It introduces the looming water crisis and discusses suitable conservation and management strategies. It should serve as a supplementary text for water-related courses in traditional and agricultural universities as well as in institutes of Technology.
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