In a world where the population is expected to rise to 10 billion by the turn of the century, accelerating urbanisation and the increasing the demand for food and energy; taking action to secure sufficient water of acceptable quality for humans and nature is as urgent as ever. Climate change is projected to aggravate water stress in many regions, especially where water is already scarce and where the demand for water is growing rapidly. Increased frequency of floods is also projected. Moreover, the degradation of water quality generates uncertainty about future water availability. For many parts of the globe, discharges.
