ABSTRACT
This rapidly increasing demand for water and sanitation, especially in developing countries, is an obvious obstacle to sustainability. Conversely the urgent necessity for its provision is similarly an obstacle with short-term solutions often leading to serious long-term problems. The water industry is struggling to cope with current water demands with little or no opportunity to look to the future. Yet, if we are to preserve what we have and fi nd ways of providing for future generations then radical action is required. A sustainability approach to these problems seems an obvious solution, yet Mitcham (1995) suggests that many developing countries see sustainable development as a Western idea meant to maintain the Western way of life. In developed countries population growth is often seen as the major threat to sustainability while in developing countries overconsumption is more frequently cited as the major problem. However, to be successful sustainability will eventually require global compliance; so sustainability in developing countries cannot be ignored with action required at both a local and national level in order to achieve global s tability.
