How can water be fairly distributed?

By the time you read this you will have inevitably used water directly and indirectly since the start of the day.

The chances are you have no idea how much you have used.

But without it, many activities would have been impossible - from obvious processes such as drinking to washing - to having food to eat, using energy and enjoying any number of manufactured goods.

But as competing demands for water intensify, how can we ensure that water is fairly and affordably distributed?

Stress

By 2030, 3.9 billion people are forecast to be living in areas under severe water stress, the OECD predicts. This is in addition to around one billion who already lack clean water today.

While the scale of the problem might be clear, opinions are fiercely divided over how to handle this pending crisis.

At one extreme are those who say water should be traded through markets, like a commodity, to optimise its value.

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