28
3 Theory
its sink. In general, if downstream is healthy then it demonstrates that its water
management is credible.
The other two Pillars of water management of a WUS can also promote water
scarcity:
• Non-beneficial water consumption, which is an important component of water
loss, such as weed evapotranspiration and some of the evaporation from reservoirs
and lakes. The idea of non-beneficial is connected to the objectives of a WUS and
must be reduced, particularly under water scarcity.
• Non-quality or polluted water, which in effect is a kind of consumption for the
WUS under analysis as explained in FIW2a.
FIW2c) Both consumption and inflow should be controlled within the context of
integrated trade-offs of the three Pillars.
There are numerous trade-offs between the three Pillars of water management even
with valid constraints on each of them. However, water managers look for a solution or
combinations of the three Pillars that are reasonable and good-enough for a specified
WUS. Clearly, its inflows are crucial because they define the magnitude and nature of
water allocation and its influence on water resources. Besides inflows, characteristics
of the outflows also need close attention to verify the influences of a WUS on water
resources, unrecoverables (FIW2a) and production. In this regard, the consumptive
part of the outflow is significant as explained in FIW2a and FIW2b. Therefore, both
the inflow and consumptive flows must be carefully analysed and controlled having
in mind their comprehensive trade-offs.
Third FIW: Quality
FIW3a) There are water quality norms and regulations for different objectives.
Every objective of a WUS has its own water quality requirements, which should
be clearly defined through regulation and legislation. Indeed, it is vital to have
proper water quality requirements for public water supply. However, there should
be regulations for different categories of water use, such as irrigation, various types
of industry and ecosystems. As water scarcity increases, such regulations become
essential because of the need to use less freshwater and more of the lower quality
water. However, such uses and reuses are subject to social norms, technical expertise,
and economic possibilities, meaning that regulations and guidelines are important to
start such processes.
FIW3b) Downstream water quality should be protected.
Water pollution and poverty are among the features of the designation
upstream/downstream. One of the crucial tasks of water management, or rather its
top priority, is to ensure that the water downstream from a WUS has a proper water
quality (and quantity). In general, as a river or aquifer approaches a sea or any
other sink, pollution increases to unsatisfactory levels, which may happen even if
each WUS obeys the legal pollution requirements, but their combined effect do not,
3 Theory
its sink. In general, if downstream is healthy then it demonstrates that its water
management is credible.
The other two Pillars of water management of a WUS can also promote water
scarcity:
• Non-beneficial water consumption, which is an important component of water
loss, such as weed evapotranspiration and some of the evaporation from reservoirs
and lakes. The idea of non-beneficial is connected to the objectives of a WUS and
must be reduced, particularly under water scarcity.
• Non-quality or polluted water, which in effect is a kind of consumption for the
WUS under analysis as explained in FIW2a.
FIW2c) Both consumption and inflow should be controlled within the context of
integrated trade-offs of the three Pillars.
There are numerous trade-offs between the three Pillars of water management even
with valid constraints on each of them. However, water managers look for a solution or
combinations of the three Pillars that are reasonable and good-enough for a specified
WUS. Clearly, its inflows are crucial because they define the magnitude and nature of
water allocation and its influence on water resources. Besides inflows, characteristics
of the outflows also need close attention to verify the influences of a WUS on water
resources, unrecoverables (FIW2a) and production. In this regard, the consumptive
part of the outflow is significant as explained in FIW2a and FIW2b. Therefore, both
the inflow and consumptive flows must be carefully analysed and controlled having
in mind their comprehensive trade-offs.
Third FIW: Quality
FIW3a) There are water quality norms and regulations for different objectives.
Every objective of a WUS has its own water quality requirements, which should
be clearly defined through regulation and legislation. Indeed, it is vital to have
proper water quality requirements for public water supply. However, there should
be regulations for different categories of water use, such as irrigation, various types
of industry and ecosystems. As water scarcity increases, such regulations become
essential because of the need to use less freshwater and more of the lower quality
water. However, such uses and reuses are subject to social norms, technical expertise,
and economic possibilities, meaning that regulations and guidelines are important to
start such processes.
FIW3b) Downstream water quality should be protected.
Water pollution and poverty are among the features of the designation
upstream/downstream. One of the crucial tasks of water management, or rather its
top priority, is to ensure that the water downstream from a WUS has a proper water
quality (and quantity). In general, as a river or aquifer approaches a sea or any
other sink, pollution increases to unsatisfactory levels, which may happen even if
each WUS obeys the legal pollution requirements, but their combined effect do not,