ABSTRACT
Freshwater, which makes up 2.15% of the Earth’s water, is one of the most basic and important human needs (United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP, Vandeweerd et al. 1997]). It has been under unprecedented pressure and requires urgent attention and sustainable water resources management. Problems regarding water resources are expected to worsen because of population growth and climate change. Population growth is aggravated by continued rural-urban migration and may lead to more pollution on surface water sources. Ample evidence demonstrates that climate change will increase hydrologic variability and, in turn, will lead to extreme weather events such as the recent droughts in the western parts of the United States and floods caused by hurricanes and severe storms. Issues on sustainable management and protection of freshwater are often the limiting factor for development since water supply and wastewater systems are the main themes on the development agenda.
