Water for people.pdf - WHO Thailand Digital Repository

S H A R I N G W A T E R : D E F I N I N G A C O M M O N I N T E R E S T / 2 9 5Map 12.1: Drainage basins under high or medium stress and the sector that uses the most waterdomestic industry irrigation livestock low stressThis map shows basins under medium or high water stress, spread throughout the world, but mainly concentrated in the northern hemisphere. Irrigation is clearly the mainuser of water withdrawals in these basins on a global scale, but in such areas as Europe and the East Coast of the United States, the industrial sector is the major cause ofwater stress.Source: Map prepared for the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) by the Centre for Environmental Research, University of Kassel, based on Water Gap version 2.1. D.‘unstressed’ basins with the result that the Chinese government hashad to make great efforts to ensure the sustainable use of waterresources. The Water Action Unit has now introduced theNationwide Water Conservation Scheme. Other complementarymeasures include an integrated approach to flood control anddisaster alleviation, water conservation and increased efficiency inall sectors, and better management practice in developing andallocating water resources.Sri Lanka provides another example of competition for limitedwater resources. South-east Sri Lanka is less developed than much ofthe rest of the island and unemployment is a source of concern withregard to regional equity and political stability. The new RuhunupuraCity and industrial area have been proposed to address this issue andwill, if implemented, provide alternatives to the agriculture, fishing andtourism industries that currently dominate employment in the area.The development will, however, demand in excess of 100 million cubicmetres (Mm 3 ) per year, which will have to be obtained by diversionfrom three main rivers, reducing water available to agriculture andaffecting flows to wildlife resources and coastal fisheries. Balancing thedemands of existing water users and the pressing needs surroundingthe creation of new employment opportunities is expected to dominatewater resource issues for several decades in the Ruhuna basins. Formore details on this specific case, please refer to the Ruhuna basinscase study in chapter 18.Competition for water is not solely related to quantity, sinceadequate quantities are of little value if poor quality precludes therequired use. In Europe, the development of statutory Water QualityObjectives and European Commission (EC) instruments such as the ECSurface Water Abstraction Directive have provided tools to protectdifferent uses and to reflect increased intersectoral need forcollaboration.Water for ecosystemsConsiderations of water consumption have thus far primarily dealtwith human uses of water. How much water do the other specieson this planet require? Our neglect of this need is discussed in