New publication: Urban Water and Sanitation Services; An IWRM Approach

The Global Water Partnership’s Technical Committee has released a new background paper by Judith Rees which considers how the rapid pace and scale of urbanization represents a considerable challenge for water resources management, the delivery of essential water and sanitation services and environmental protection. To help meet these challenges there is a need to adopt an integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach which explicitly recognises the complex sets of interdependency relationships which exist within and between human and environmental systems. This need arises because of the negative externalities created by the uncoordinated use of water and land resources and by the uncoordinated provision of interdependent basic services; the opportunity costs of employing scarce water, land and capital for low value purposes; and the cost savings which can occur by widening the range of provision or management options.  The paper explores how an IWRM approach recognises intersectoral competition for resources (physical, social and financial), the role of the urban sector in meeting national developmental priorities, and negative impacts of urban provision practices on other parts of the economy.