Water Unites

well as destructive power of water. God is praised as the one who provides water and thus life.
Islamic mystics compare Allah to an endless ocean. Paradise is envisaged as a garden fed by
clean, cool water. Also the purifying role of water in the form of ritual washing before prayer
or during pilgrimages is a common element in many religions. In Christianity, the ritual of
baptism purifies the believer and makes him a part of the Christian community. Millions of
Hindu believers take ritual baths in the Ganges-the most important of the seven sacred rivers
in Hinduism. 1
This meaning of water has practical implications. In Islam, water is considered a gift of
Allah and therefore has the status of a community resource to which everybody should have
access. Consequently, many interpretations of the Holy Quran argue that it is forbidden to buy
or sell water. However, if infrastructure, knowledge or other investments have been made for
its withdrawal, fees may be levied. Considering water as a gift of God has an impact on how
people handle water: I should esteem it and not waste it; if it is a gift to me, then it is also a gift
to my neighbour, and I should not deprive him of access. The Quran as well as the hadith (written
collections of the words and deeds of Prophet Mohammed) make explicit statements on
the duty to use water economically, equitably, with consultation of all stakeholders, and with
respect for the environment. 2 A survey on reasons for water conservation in the Syr Darya
Basin, for example, found that financial incentives only matter for 20% of the respondents,
while 30% mentioned moral and religious motives. 3 Thus, the «symbolic» value of water in
religion and culture can serve as a very concrete motivation for saving water and raising awareness
for rational water use.
However, in the 20th century, water management approaches around the world focused
on the technical questions of sufficient supply. Water demand was expected to increase due to
population growth and economic development. Solutions to meet future water demand were
seen solely in technical terms and on the supply side. Huge infrastructure projects like dams,
reservoirs and irrigation systems are hallmarks of this approach.
With rising environmental awareness in the 1960s, environmental consequences of
these projects were criticized and demands to include ecological needs in water management
policies strengthened. At the same time, technical progress in industrialized countries led to
new water-saving technologies and showed that economic progress and demographic growth
do not necessarily lead to more water consumption (as was the previous assumption). Later
on, this criticism was complemented by the concept of water as an economic good, a position
especially promoted by international financial and donor organizations.
It is based on the assumption that water has an economic value and therefore should
have a price. This economic value comes from the costs arising from its provision and the
value gained from its usage. Inadequate pricing mechanisms are perceived as the main causes
of inefficient and wasteful water use. In contrast, adequate and cost-recovering pricing provide
the financial means for the maintenance of infrastructure, which is essential to a reliable
water supply. They also offer an incentive to save water. At the political level, this concept can
help decision-making on distribution of water among different sectors of the economy.
1 Kürschner-Pelkmann 2003.
2 Faruqui 2001.
3 Abdullaev, Kazbekov and Molden 2007.
16 Historical patterns of water usage and water management