Groundwater Guideline

Sustainable Groundwater Resources Management

In order to manage the water resources effectively concerning quantity and quality, National Water Policies need to be established and implemented.

A National Policy on Water Resources Management has to look at issues of water demand management (irrigation, industrial and domestic), water treatment, water reuse, water pricing, and of an integrated resource management (integrated use of surface and groundwater) whereas a National Policy on Water Quality Conservation would cover aspects of water resources conservation, protection and reclamation.

An integration of all aspects pertaining to water quality and quantity into land use planning needs to be attained, in order to ensure acceptance of certain decisions (e.g. water tariffs, licensing of abstraction rights, water protection zones, etc.) and to create awareness among others about the existing hydrological and hydrogeological conditions and problems.

As surface-water resources become fully developed, groundwater commonly offers the only available source for new development. Therefore Policies for Groundwater Resources Management are very important.

The aim of this report is to help the adoption of such National Policies and to facilitate the discussion about the long-term strategies and the required measures to avoid the depletion and pollution of the groundwater resources.

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