ABSTRACT
According to the Greek philosopher Pindar, the best of all things is water. This view is not surprising since the need for water, throughout human history, has always been appreciated. It is present everywhere, and without water, life, as it is known, will simply cease to exist. Water is constantly in motion, passing from one state to another and from one location to another. Whether the water is in motion, or stationary as it is in lakes, it invariably contains extraneous materials, some due to natural causes but others because of human activities. All these, plus natural variations in water availability, makes its rational planning and management a very complex and difficult task under the best of circumstances. Water may be everywhere, but its use has always been dictated by its availability in terms of quantity and quality.
