ABSTRACT
The underlying motivation for IWRM is that changes to one part of a water system have consequences for other parts, and these consequences must be taken into account to ensure that the water system is not abused. Neither the boundaries of private property nor those of government agencies are likely to internalize these consequences. One property owner may affect the water system to the detriment of other users. The water-related decisions of one ministry (eg, agriculture) can have adverse consequences for users outside of that ministry’s traditional concerns (eg, residential and industrial users). Similarly, the water-related decisions in one planning district (or country) can have adverse consequences for people living in other districts (or countries). Historically, these cross-boundary impacts have been addressed in a piecemeal fashion, in response to emerging problems. IWRM is intended to treat water systems in a more holistic fashion, and introduce mechanisms (eg, markets for environmental services), institutions (eg, river basin authorities) or regulations (eg, pollution standards) that take these crossboundary impacts into account.
