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Integrated water supply and water demand for sustainable use of water resources
Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 28 (2003) 759–760 www.elsevier.com/locate/pce
Editorial
Integrated water supply and water demand for sustainable use of water resources
This special issue contains selected papers that were presented at the third WaterNet/Warfsa Symposium held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 30th–31st October 2002. The main theme of the Symposium was ‘‘Integrated Water Supply and Water Demand for Sustainable Use of Water Resources’’. This theme was selected to try to link ‘‘Water Demand Management (WDM)’’ with the themes of the previous symposiums, namely, ‘‘Sustainable Use of Water Resources (Maputo, 2000)’’ and ‘‘Integrated Water Resource Management (Cape Town, 2001)’’. Eradicating poverty is the greatest challenge to communities in the SADC region. Various efforts are being initiated with the aim of reducing the proportion of people living in poverty. The fact that the region is facing a serious water crisis, and that the poorest are the most vulnerable to the water crisis, underscores the need for action, hence, a serious commitment to implementation of IWRM approaches and managing water crisis in the region. It should be emphasized here that poverty and access to water are closely linked. This means that strategies to eradicate poverty in the region will have a significant contribution to water accessibility to the poor. The Dar es Salaam Symposium was an attempt to bring together water experts from the region to share experiences on how best to increase access to water resources and ensuring sustainability through incorporation of water demand IWRM approaches. It addressed five interrelated sub-themes of concern, namely: Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM); Water Demand Management (WDM); Sustainable Water Resource Use; Water Quality Management and Sustainability; Ecological Flows/Environmental Management; and River Basin Management. However, the papers presented in this issue are collapsed into four major subthemes, namely: (a) Water Demand Management (editor Ruth Beukman). (b) Sustainable Water Resource Use (editor James O. Ngana). 1474-7065/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.pce.2003.08.001
(c) Integrated Water Resource management (editor Ngoni Mudege). (d) Water Quality Management and Sustainability, Environmental Flows, and River Basin Management (editor Damas Mashauri). The editors of the various sub-themes were assisted by various reviewer who read the papers and recommended their improvement to qualify publication in this special issue. On behalf of the editors, I sincerely thank the following individuals who read the drafts and provided valuable inputs for improvements. These are Jerry Ndamba, Jeff Sikupwanya (Water Demand Management). (e) Sustainable Water Resource Use (editor James O. Ngana). (f) Integrated Water Resource Management (editor Ngoni Mudege). (g) Water Quality Management and Sustainability, Environmental Flows, and River Basin Management (editor Damas Mashauri). The Dar es Salaam Symposium provided a platform for water professionals in Southern Africa to share experiences and advances in research and education as related to IWRM. It also provided an opportunity to discuss new developments and concepts towards IWRM in the Region. It was a place where water professionals crossed boundaries, looked over disciplinary fences and thought across national borders. While IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated efforts to develop and manage water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems (Jonker et al., 2002), the socio-economic circumstances that prevail in many countries today have made particular demands upon the countries’ water resource base and the environment, and the sustainability of the water resources is largely induced by human activities. It is on this background that the need to add the concept of water demand management into the theme was eminent.
760
Editorial / Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 28 (2003) 759–760
Whereas water scarcity is being perceived in many areas due to unreliable rainfall, multiplicity of competing uses, and degradation of water sources and catchment, the human population has increased in every country necessitating increased demands for more water at all level. It should also be noted that the level of affluence, when combined with rapid population growth may lead to serious environmental consequences included increased production of sewerage and other pollutants which are sent back into the ecosystem. In this case scarcity of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene cause widespread ill-health and premature deaths per day. This situation calls for concerted efforts for investments and capacity building for sustainable water management and service provisions to ameliorate these plights of the poorest. The areas to be targeted would include access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and waste water treatment. The efforts need to target those who are in need and those who are most affected at the grassroots level.
Acknowledgements On behalf of the editors, I sincerely acknowledge the efforts made by the reviewers of the papers. Their con-
tributions have helped in improving the quality of the papers. The names of the reviewers are: Dr. J. Ndamba, Dr. J. Sikupwanya, Prof. J. Lundquist, Dr. J. Day, Dr. B. Kgarebe, Dr. D.C.W Nkuwa, Prof. E.J. Mwendera, Dr. S. Michell, and Prof. H. Mtalo.
Reference Jonker, L., Nyabeze, W.R., Kiinsime, F., Kgarebe, B.V., 2002. Integrated water resource management: theory, practice, cases. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27, 11–22.
N.F. Madulu Institute of Resource Assessment University of Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 35097 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail address: [email protected]
Editorial
Integrated water supply and water demand for sustainable use of water resources
This special issue contains selected papers that were presented at the third WaterNet/Warfsa Symposium held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 30th–31st October 2002. The main theme of the Symposium was ‘‘Integrated Water Supply and Water Demand for Sustainable Use of Water Resources’’. This theme was selected to try to link ‘‘Water Demand Management (WDM)’’ with the themes of the previous symposiums, namely, ‘‘Sustainable Use of Water Resources (Maputo, 2000)’’ and ‘‘Integrated Water Resource Management (Cape Town, 2001)’’. Eradicating poverty is the greatest challenge to communities in the SADC region. Various efforts are being initiated with the aim of reducing the proportion of people living in poverty. The fact that the region is facing a serious water crisis, and that the poorest are the most vulnerable to the water crisis, underscores the need for action, hence, a serious commitment to implementation of IWRM approaches and managing water crisis in the region. It should be emphasized here that poverty and access to water are closely linked. This means that strategies to eradicate poverty in the region will have a significant contribution to water accessibility to the poor. The Dar es Salaam Symposium was an attempt to bring together water experts from the region to share experiences on how best to increase access to water resources and ensuring sustainability through incorporation of water demand IWRM approaches. It addressed five interrelated sub-themes of concern, namely: Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM); Water Demand Management (WDM); Sustainable Water Resource Use; Water Quality Management and Sustainability; Ecological Flows/Environmental Management; and River Basin Management. However, the papers presented in this issue are collapsed into four major subthemes, namely: (a) Water Demand Management (editor Ruth Beukman). (b) Sustainable Water Resource Use (editor James O. Ngana). 1474-7065/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.pce.2003.08.001
(c) Integrated Water Resource management (editor Ngoni Mudege). (d) Water Quality Management and Sustainability, Environmental Flows, and River Basin Management (editor Damas Mashauri). The editors of the various sub-themes were assisted by various reviewer who read the papers and recommended their improvement to qualify publication in this special issue. On behalf of the editors, I sincerely thank the following individuals who read the drafts and provided valuable inputs for improvements. These are Jerry Ndamba, Jeff Sikupwanya (Water Demand Management). (e) Sustainable Water Resource Use (editor James O. Ngana). (f) Integrated Water Resource Management (editor Ngoni Mudege). (g) Water Quality Management and Sustainability, Environmental Flows, and River Basin Management (editor Damas Mashauri). The Dar es Salaam Symposium provided a platform for water professionals in Southern Africa to share experiences and advances in research and education as related to IWRM. It also provided an opportunity to discuss new developments and concepts towards IWRM in the Region. It was a place where water professionals crossed boundaries, looked over disciplinary fences and thought across national borders. While IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated efforts to develop and manage water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems (Jonker et al., 2002), the socio-economic circumstances that prevail in many countries today have made particular demands upon the countries’ water resource base and the environment, and the sustainability of the water resources is largely induced by human activities. It is on this background that the need to add the concept of water demand management into the theme was eminent.
760
Editorial / Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 28 (2003) 759–760
Whereas water scarcity is being perceived in many areas due to unreliable rainfall, multiplicity of competing uses, and degradation of water sources and catchment, the human population has increased in every country necessitating increased demands for more water at all level. It should also be noted that the level of affluence, when combined with rapid population growth may lead to serious environmental consequences included increased production of sewerage and other pollutants which are sent back into the ecosystem. In this case scarcity of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene cause widespread ill-health and premature deaths per day. This situation calls for concerted efforts for investments and capacity building for sustainable water management and service provisions to ameliorate these plights of the poorest. The areas to be targeted would include access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and waste water treatment. The efforts need to target those who are in need and those who are most affected at the grassroots level.
Acknowledgements On behalf of the editors, I sincerely acknowledge the efforts made by the reviewers of the papers. Their con-
tributions have helped in improving the quality of the papers. The names of the reviewers are: Dr. J. Ndamba, Dr. J. Sikupwanya, Prof. J. Lundquist, Dr. J. Day, Dr. B. Kgarebe, Dr. D.C.W Nkuwa, Prof. E.J. Mwendera, Dr. S. Michell, and Prof. H. Mtalo.
Reference Jonker, L., Nyabeze, W.R., Kiinsime, F., Kgarebe, B.V., 2002. Integrated water resource management: theory, practice, cases. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27, 11–22.
N.F. Madulu Institute of Resource Assessment University of Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 35097 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail address: [email protected]