ABSTRACT
Water is vital to all forms of life on earth, from the simplest of living organisms to the most complex of human systems. Lack of freshwater to drink, for use in industry and agriculture and for multitude of other purposes where water is essential, is a limiting factor - perhaps the most important factor - hindering development in many parts of the globe. In South Asia, increasing water shortage and declining water quality from pollution during the past few decades has drawn attention to the inherent fragility and scarcity of water and led to concern about water availability to meet the requirements of the 21st century. Because of increasing population and changing patterns of water use in South Asia, additional demand is likely to be accompanied by a sharp decline in per capita water availability. While consumption of 1,000 m3 of water per year and per capita is considered a standard for “well-being” in the developed world, projection of annual water availability per capita by the year 2025 for South Asia is a mere 730 m3. This trend is declining in all parts of the world, including those that are considered to have ample water resources.
