ABSTRACT
Introduction International policy documents on water resources management often stress the crucial importance of water to sustain life and development (eg SIWI, 2000; WWAP, 2003). The true meaning of these words is reflected in the harsh realities faced by water users in drought-prone regions throughout the world. In regions that suffer from occasional or chronic water scarcity, the distribution and use of scarce water resources requires hard choices and, as a result, conflicts between water users easily erupt.
