Conceptual Thinking in Coping with Water Scarcity

Abstract

There are important conceptual and ownership issues that can over-ride the physical and engineering aspects of coping with water scarcity. Water has a very high value for support of life, but it is often not fully valued by the community of water users. How do we place a value on water? What are its social, environmental, economic, and cultural values? Who owns the water? Who has the right to collect, store, allocate, distribute and sell or lease water? Who has the authority, and how do they proceed, to set the price to be paid for water? How are ownership and accessibility managed where water crosses political boundaries?