A new water management policy adopted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in late January has twin benefits for process industries throughout the region. Not only should the policy guarantee them supplies of industrial water, but also involvement in major capital projects needed to make the policy a reality. Sean Ottewell examines the effects of the policy.

Asia's water shortage is serious. The region has the lowest per capita availability of freshwater resources among the world's continents. Due largely to population increases, per capita water availability dropped by 70 per cent in south and central Asia, 60 per cent in north Asia and 55 per cent in south east Asia over the last 50 years. Moreover, the outlook is alarming. Demand for domestic and industrial water is growing rapidly. As a result, water availability per capita is projected to fall further by 2025. To meet the top priority of providing drinking water and sanitation, the use of irrigation water for food production needs to be much more efficient. In some countries, up to 90 per cent of water is used for irrigation. Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand are examples of countries under high water stress and likely to suffer further.
"20 years ago, people were talking about food security. Today, they talk of water security," says Arjun Thapan, co-author of the water policy report and manager of ADB's Water Supply, Urban Development and Housing Division West. "In face of competing demands for water, we have to use it wisely. This means using an integrated water resource management approach."
Within the next quarter century, half of Asia's estimated population of 4.2 billion are expected to live in urban centres. Increasing urbanisation, industrialisation and wastage will put more pressure on water. While cities are reaching out further for water, rural areas also suffer from water shortages. In many countries, women and children have to walk long distances to fetch water, sacrificing a large part of their lives - and education - to sustain others.
ADB's water policy stresses the need for integrated cross-sectoral approaches to water management and development. It emphasises that water is a socially-vital economic good that needs careful management to sustain equitable economic growth and reduce poverty. Conserving and protecting water resources through a participatory approach are at the heart of the policy. The water policy aims to:
* Promote a national focus on water sector reform. Developing member countries will be helped to adopt effective national water policies and laws, improve institutional capacities and information management, and develop a national action agenda for water. The needs of the poor will be factored into legal, institutional and administrative frameworks.
* Foster the integrated management of water resources. This will be based on comprehensive water resource assessments and concentrating interlinked water investments in river basins.
* Improve and expand delivery of water services, mainly water supply and sanitation (urban and rural), irrigation and drainage. Support will be provided for autonomous and accountable service providers, private sector participation and public-private partnerships. Equity of access to water for the poor and underserved will be emphasised.
* Encourage water conservation and system efficiencies. Support will be given for packages that combine water use and resource management charges to recover costs, improved regulation and increased public awareness, and provisions to ensure the poor are not excluded.
* Promote regional cooperation and the benefits of shared water resources within and between countries. This will focus on the exchange of information and experiences.
* Facilitate stakeholder participation through the exchange of water sector information. This will be achieved largely through public-private-community-NGO partnerships.
* Improve governance. This will be accomplished by supporting decentralisation, building capacity and strengthening monitoring, evaluation, research and learning at all levels, particularly in the public sector.
In implementing the policy, ADB will focus on policy discussions and water sector assessments to reach agreement with development partners on national water sector reforms. ADB also will selectively support programmes based on a country's water action agenda which reflect water management.