Water

Implications: Water Resources Management

---

• How does this policy address the issue of water allocation?
• How does this policy address the water requirements for the maintenance of watersheds, wetlands and ecosystems?
• How does the policy address groundwater overexploitation and pollution?

How does this policy address the issue of water allocation?

In countries where water is becoming scarce, especially in the dry season, policies and systems for water allocation are urgently needed. This is most apparent in parts of People's Republic of China and countries in South and Central Asia.

Our water policy promotes the formulation of national water policies and river basin management to improve water allocation. We recognize that water is a socially vital economic good. Over time, systems need to be introduced to value water in all its uses as a basis for allocation.

How does this policy address the water requirements for the maintenance of watersheds, wetlands, and ecosystems?

The policy emphasizes the importance of watersheds, wetlands, and ecosystems. Their protection is an integral part of water resource management in a river basin context. The maintenance of critical watersheds is also part of ADB's policy on forestry. We will pursue the protection and rehabilitation of degraded forestlands. To rehabilitate watersheds, we encourage the involvement of local communities and NGOs. Wetlands have important functions in the river basin, including flood alleviation, groundwater recharge, water quality improvement, ecosystem maintenance, and biodiversity conservation. We will promote wetland conservation and improvement in a river basin context.

Top

How does the policy address groundwater overexploitation and pollution?

Groundwater management has often been neglected and is now becoming essential because of scarcity and pollution. Many countries depend on groundwater to a large extent. Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a serious issue in Bangladesh. Groundwater pollution from urban and industrial waste is rapidly becoming a serious problem, and remedial measures are difficult and costly. The policy therefore promotes sustainable groundwater management as an integral element of water resources management.

Back Implications: Integrated Water Resources Management	Next Implications: Costs and Cost Recovery