Harnessing the productive potential ofwater and limiting its destructive impacts have challengedthe human species since its origins. Many of the earliestcivilizations, particularly those on the floodplains of theworld's major rivers, succeeded by harnessing water,often in nation-building efforts that spawned greatcivilizations. But water is also a force for destruction,catastrophically through drought, flood, landslides, andepidemic, and progressively through erosion, inundation,desertification, contamination, and disease. Water also hasbeen a source of dispute, particularly where it crossesjurisdictional boundaries. Today, where water supplies areadequate and reliable, societies are relatively rich. Watersecurity was easily achieved in temperate climates whererainfall is not extremely variable. By contrast, where wateris scarce, variable, and uncontrolled, most societies haveremained poor, and basic water security has not beenachieved. There are other reasons why societies are poor orrich, but the significance of water security isconsiderable, and little recognized. Over time, human beingshave developed reservoirs of knowledge and experience abouthow to control and manage water, but, with economicdevelopment and population growth, the demands on water havegrown apace. This is true in all industrial countries, whichinvested early and heavily in water infrastructure,institutions, and management capacity. It is equally true indeveloping countries, where investments in water developmentand management remain an urgent priority. In some developingcountries, often the poorest, the severity of the challengeof managing water is almost without precedent.
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