No-Nonsense Guide to Water

Water sustains life: without it, humans cannot survive for more than a few days. And yet this precious fluid is increasingly politicized as the debates about the world's water supply gain force. Who owns water? Who pays for the pumps, the pipelines--and the leaks? And what does this mean to local cultures and economies? Concerns are growing over the control and ownership of water itself, and of the many organizations that govern its use.

In this No-Nonsense Guide, Maggie Black explores the many roles that water plays in human life--in history, health, transport, recreation, rituals, economic systems, and politics. The defence of water rights in communities around the world is set to become explosive--will "water wars" be the next step?