water resources [ water availability | Water balance(ECLAS) ]

evaluation of resources [ estimate of resources | inventory of resources | prospecting for resources | search for resources ]

water resource conserving | water resource managing | conserve water resource | manage water resources

management of water resources | water management | water resources management

perennial yield

scarcity of water | water scarcity

scarce water resources

integrated water resources management | IWRM

assess consumption of water | consumption of water assessing | estimate consumption of water | water consumption estimating

Even though droughts and water scarcity are affecting more and more parts of Europe, an estimated 20-40 % of Europe’s available water is still being wasted, for instance, through leakages in the distribution system or inadequate uptake of water efficiency technologies.

Water is a precious resource, yet its availability may be temporarily low due to droughts, or due to a sustained period of time in which demand for water exceeds exploitable water resources (water scarcity).

River basins are considered as the management unit for water resources and each has a "Plan de Cuenca" (Basin Plan), whose main objectives are to achieve a highly satisfactory level of supply in quantity and quality, best possible use of the resources available through savings and more efficient management, the diversification of the resources in its origin and reduced vulnerability of wate ...[+++]r supply systems.

85. Considers that water should be at the heart of the work in preparation of two major international events in 2015, namely the post-2015 agenda summit and COP21 on climate change; strongly supports, in this context, the inclusion of ambitious and far-reaching targets for water and sanitation, such as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030, to be adopted in September 2015; reiterates that ending poverty through the post-2015 process is only possible if we ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to clean water, basic sanitation and hygiene; stresses that realisation of all SD ...[+++]Gs requires mobilisation of much more financing for development than is currently provided, from both developed and developing countries; calls for the creation of a global monitoring mechanism to track progress in achieving universal access to safe drinking water, the sustainable use and development of water resources and the strengthening of equitable, participatory and accountable water governance in all countries; urges the Commission to ensure that aid is spent effectively and that it is better targeted to the WASH sector in the perspective of the post-2015 development agenda;