Spans and suspensions: building bridges and water security through integrated water resource management

There are three chasms that block the route to water security: the impact of population growth (and the associated urbanization); widespread malnutrition and poverty; conflict between agricultural demand and other human uses of water. To cross these chasms requires firstly education (primary education for girls is crucial) and the introduction of integrated water resource management. It requires the application of community energies and dedication, and the harnessing of private sector energies resources, but it will also need the development of innovative financial mechanisms. Above all it requires a major shift in the way we manage water, discarding prejudices and preconceptions, to address our water needs with imagination and commitment.