Freshwater and its allocation between competing users and uses has always been conflict ridden, but the intensity of these conflicts has escalated in recent history because of increased urbanization, changes in diet, increased population and several local factors (Dirksen, 2002). The escalation...

In Australia, the community is often invited to make written submissions on natural resource management issues, especially regional water plans. This is seen as a method of increasing democracy by allowing citizens to provide input to the plan. Most Australian water plans have radically...

A national agreement on water reform was reached in 1994 and the Council of Australian Government (COAG) agreed to a comprehensive water reform agenda that explicitly linked, for the first time, economic and environmental issues with a package of reform measures. The agreement focused on...

Seawater desalination is increasingly considered as an important component of the water resources mix required to address the growing demand for water in situations where there is limited fresh water availability. Australia has made heavy investments over the past five years in desalination...

The balancing act between groundwater over exploitation and environmental sustainability world over has led to number of research studies, which have brought out the requirements for bridging the gaps in understanding between groundwater users, groundwater scientists and manager. Recent studies...

The socio-economic situation and awareness in South Australia is much stronger than in and hence the groundwater management is more sustainable. The market system of products is very sustainable and reliable as compared to Pakistan. The farmers of South are using groundwater with pressurized...

The responses of the Adelaide urban community to paying a levy for natural resources management (NRM) were investigated. The present NRM levy has been implemented since 2006 and is based on property values. The survey indicated that the Adelaide urban community did not feel well informed about...

Recycled water use in urban areas is viewed as one part of the solution to Australia’s water shortage. The effectiveness of policies designed to promote recycled water systems depends on the acceptance by the community of the price, colour, odour and salt content of the recycled water. In...

Water scarcity to a large extent is manmade and large irrigation projects are seen as a solution to the problems of water scarcity. But the solution to the problems that such scarcity generates lies in recognizing the fact that water is a common resource and can be managed sustainably, based on...

In India, community participation is receiving much importance in water planning and management. However, in the absence of effective institutional arrangements to govern the allocation and maintenance activities, it is more likely that such participation will fail to achieve the desired...