waterresourcesmanagement

Water resources management is the planning, development, distribution, and governance of water resources to maximize social and economic welfare while protecting environmental integrity. It encompasses freshwater resources in rivers, lakes, aquifers, and treated wastewater, addressing both supply and demand across sectors such as agriculture, industry, energy, and households.

A central approach is integrated water resources management (IWRM), which seeks holistic planning across sectors and boundaries. IWRM emphasizes resource assessment, transparent policy and legal frameworks, allocation of water rights, infrastructure operation, water quality protection, and maintaining environmental flows to sustain ecosystems.

Institutions such as national ministries, water utilities, basin organizations, and regulators coordinate planning and oversight. Tools include water accounting and monitoring, hydro-meteorological modeling, pricing and incentives to encourage efficiency, licensing, and rights allocations. Infrastructure spans irrigation systems, urban supply networks, wastewater treatment, and reuse facilities.

Managing water resources faces challenges from climate change, variability, population growth, urbanization, and transboundary basins. Governance fragmentation, limited funding, inadequate data, and capacity gaps can hinder performance. Effective management seeks to improve resilience to droughts and floods while promoting sustainability and equity.

Global initiatives, including Sustainable Development Goal 6, guide targets for safe and reliable water access, sanitation, and transboundary cooperation, reflecting the international importance of prudent water resources management.