INTRODUCTION

Water is of vital importance in sustaining life in this world, in various forms. The hydrological cycle in nature involves the evaporation of water, and its precipitation and flow, which is life supporting. The rise and fall of great civilization such as in the valleys of the Indus and Tigris and Euphrates have been attributed to changes in the hydrological cycle, both natural and artificial. In recent years, human activities have exerted greater influence on the hydrological cycle. This has resulted in the emergence of serious and considerable damage not only to water systems, but ultimately, unless arrested, will impact on the economic and sociopolitical activities of the people. The ASEAN region and Malaysia in particular, have not been isolated from this phenomenon.

The ongoing process of urbanization the world over, has worsened our vulnerability to water disasters, and many countries have been afflicted by repeated cycles of floods and droughts. The excesses of human activities, solid waste and untreated wastewater, released into the environment, are apt to worsen the water quality of our water bodies, both at and below the surface, causing widespread concern over our health and safety, and threatening the earth's ecological system.

Malaysia is signatory to the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) declaration of August 2002, which includes the commitment to halve by 2010 the proportion of people unable to reach and afford safe drinking water and by 2015, to halve the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation. At the WSSD, agreement was reached on launching a programme of action to achieve these goals, and this includes the development of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and water efficiency plans by 2005.

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) as defined by the Global Water Partnership (GWP 2004) is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.