Water: a source of life Introduction, Water: the first and foremost (re)source, The secret to survival…, The challenge of change, Conclusions

This chapter starts with a description of the uniqueness and presence of water and its importance for human survival. It then explores the ways in which cultures all over the world have adapted themselves to living with water under different circumstances with the sometimes limited means they have at their disposal. Nowadays humankind is facing new challenges in a changing world, having major consequences for water management. A question to be answered is: Can we incorporate the old “proven” adaptation mechanisms into new sustainable water management strategies?