NEAT Working Group on
Water Resource Management
Singapore29-30 June 2010
IBackground

1
Water-related challenges such as water shortages, flooding, contaminated water,poor sanitation and inaccessibility to safe drinking water affect in a varying degree, bothdeveloped and developing countries around the world. According to the World HealthOrganization (WHO), water scarcity affects one in three people on every continent ofthe globe. Almost one fifth of the world's population (about 1.2 billion people) lives inareas where water is physically scarce. One quarter of the global population also lives
in developing countries that face water shortages.1
2
Water-related challenges are also becoming more acute. For one, global
warming and climate change are already causing unpredictable and extreme weather
conditions of either too little or too much rainfall in certain parts of the world. Many
countries regularly suffer droughts, floods, hurricanes and other disasters that destroy
lives, drain economies and hinder growth. Water scarcity has even occurred in areas
where there is abundance of rainfall or freshwater.
3
Most significantly, the demand for water has increased along with rapid
population growth, urbanization, industrialization and growing affluence. Today, 50
percent of the world's population already lives in urban areas and, with changing
demographics characterized by massive migration into cities, this percentage is
projected to rise to 60 percent by 2025.
4
Simultaneously, the rapid rate of urbanization and industrial growth havegenerated large amount of wastes and toxic substances that pollute existing water
sources, rendering them unsuitable for human consumption. It is estimated that over 2.5
billion people globally live without adequate sanitation of which 1.8 billion live in Asia.2
Ensuring sufficient quantity of quality water is a big challenge. This is especially so indeveloping countries where urban water and wastewater management are either
lacking or not fully developed.

1

See World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/water/en/index.html
dated March 2009.
2

See “World Water Day 2010 brochure” by UNWater
worldwaterday/downloads/WWD2010_LOWRES_BROCHURE_EN.pdf.

athttp://www.unwater.org/1

5
The growing global demand for food and bio-energy has correspondingly led toincrease demand for water from the agriculture and energy sectors. According to a 2009
study by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Food andAgricultural Organization (FAO), the demand for food and livestock fodder in Asia will
double during the next 50 years. To meet this demand, farmers will need to divert
between 10% and 57% more water to agriculture in South Asia by 2050 and between
16% and 70% in East Asia.3 Thus, the demand for already scarce water resources isexpected to surge further. It is necessary that efforts to increase food production beundertaken with less water, especially as climate change puts our water resources
under even greater stress.4
6
Dealing with the competing demands on water posed by the multifarious
challenges of population growth, urbanization, industrialization, food production, energy
needs and environmental degradation would require a holistic and coordinatedapproach to water allocation, management and development - an integrated approach.
This usually involves proper economic pricing policies, effective institutional andregulatory framework, and better access to relevant technical, technological andfinancial resources.
7Already, more and more countries recognize the importance of improving water
resource management and are collaborating regionally and internationally to make it areality. In this connection, the NEAT Working Group (WG) on Water Resource
Management held its inaugural meeting in Singapore from 29-30 June 2010. It
discussed challenges faced by each ASEAN plus Three (APT) country on water
resource management, and more importantly, made recommendations to promote
regional collaboration in this area. This WG further builds on the APT Cooperation WorkPlan (2007-2017) approved by the APT Leaders in 2007 that identified sustainable
water resource management (including groundwater) as an area for closer cooperation.
IIWater Resource Management in East Asia5

8East Asia’s strong economic growth, coupled with its rapid pace of urbanization,industrialization and growing affluence, will exert even more demands on available
scare water resources in the years ahead. Already, over a 15-year period from 1992 to2007, there has been a spike in per capita consumption of renewable water due toincreases in population density, GDP per capita and urbanization in the APT countries.63

The joint report by the IWMI and FAO is titled “Revitalizing Asia’s Irrigation: To Sustainably MeetTomorrow’s Food Needs”. It was released at the World Water Week held in Stockholm in August 2009.
The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank.

4“Global Water Partnership (GWP) in action: 2009 Annual Report”, page 7 at http://www.gwpforum.org/gwp/library/GWP_Annual_Report_2009.pdf.
5East Asia here generally refers to the APT countries.

6

Renewable water refers to the water that is continuously renewed within reasonable time spans by thehydrological cycle, such as that in streams, reservoirs or aquifers that refill from precipitation, runoff or2

This has caused a corresponding decline in total renewable water per capita over thesame period (see Table 1).

Table 1 Water Resources and Domestic Uses in the APT Countries

China
Japan
Republic ofKorea
ASEAN
Brunei
Darussalam
Cambodia
Indonesia
Lao PDR
Malaysia
MyanmarPhilippines
Singapore
Thailand
Viet Nam
Source:Population Density

GDP Per Capita

Urbanization

Total Renewable
Water Per Capita(per person per sqkm)(in PPP$)(percentage of urban
population)(cubic meters
per year)

1992
122334

2007138
343

1992
1,328
26,9552007
5,378
33,573

1992
28.94
63.75

2007
42.24
66.27

1992
2,691
3,457

2007
2,130
3,361

441

486

11,81826,523

75.82

81.25

1,594

1,451

46
50
98
18
58
63
207
4,050
112
208

68
79
121
24
82
85
295
6,489
129
257

16,349
1,126
2,338
1,012
5,783
3,303
14,5644,697
1,140

49,160
1,784
3,716
2,244
13,167
3,409
49,714
7,901
2,639

67.08
13.19
32.52
16.13
51.81
25.3
50.88
100
29.76
21

74.39
20.92
50.44
29.7
69.56
31.92
64.24
100
32.9
27.34

31,26145,83415,035
77,12630,38725,269
7,469
189
7,374
12,893

22,25433,537
12,40057,914
22,211
21,613
5,553
137
6,462
10,338(1)

ESCAP Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2009; ASEAN Statistical Yearbook 2008 & 2003; and, ASEAN InFigures 2003.
(1) Figure for 1992 not available, thus the 1990 figure as in ASEAN in Figures 2003 is usedinstead.

NOTE: The Population Density and GDP per Capital (in PPP$) data for ASEAN countries are derived from ASEAN
Statistical Yearbook 2008 & 2003, and ASEAN In Figures 2003. Data for China, Japan and Republic Korea, and data on
Urbanization and Total Renewable Water Per Capita for all ASEAN + 3 are derived from ESCAP.
In the Fourth ASEAN State of the Environment Report 2009, the data for 'Per capita Water Resource Availability' is only
for the year 2007. There are no corresponding figures in other ASEAN reports for 1992. For the purpose of comparing
figures across time, the 'Total Renewable Water Per Capita' from ESCAP Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2009 isused instead.

9For the majority of APT countries, the percentage of total renewable water percapita in 2007 (compared to 1992) has witnessed double digits decline (see Table 2). In
other words, the demand for water has increased without any corresponding increase inavailable supply. It is imperative that a more sustainable way be found to ensuresufficient and quality water for future human, industrial, agricultural and evenenvironmental needs.

groundwater recharge. See http://www.aaas.org/international/ehn/waterpop/gloss.htm. The renewable
water supply is the sum of precipitation and imports of water, minus the water not available for use
through natural evapotranspiration and exports and is a simplified upper limit to the amount of water
consumption that could occur in a region on a sustained basis.

3Table 2 Total Renewable Water Per Capita in ASEAN + 3 countries
Total Renewable Water Per Capita

China
Japan
Republic of Korea
ASEAN
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
Indonesia
Lao PDR
Malaysia
MyanmarPhilippines
Singapore
Thailand
Viet Nam
Source:

1992
2,691
3,457
1,594

Cubic meters per year
1997
2002
2,286
2,184
3,409
3,373
1,522
1,474

2007
2,130
3,361
1,451

since 1992
-20.8%-2.8%-9.0%

31,26145,83415,035
77,12630,38725,269
7,469
189
7,374
12,89327,39539,712
13,972
67,812
26,76823,609
6,692
162
6,968
11,76722,25433,537
12,40057,914
22,211
21,613
5,553
137
6,462
10,338-28.8%-26.8%-17.5%-24.9%-26.9%-14.5%-25.7%-27.5%-12.4%-19.8%

24,32435,90913,05061,741
23,90922,357
6,026
144
6,647
10,943% change

ESCAP Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2009 at
http://www.unescap.org/stat/data/syb2009/10
Most governments in East Asia recognize the importance and urgency ofinstituting an integrated approach to water resource management as highlighted by therepresentatives from the APT countries and the ASEAN Secretariat at this workshop.
However, the extent of such an approach varies among the APT countries. In addition,
the APT countries have very different physical characteristics and are at very different
stages in their economic and social development. Such diversity and complexity imply
that there is a need for approaches to be tailored to the individual circumstances ofcountry and local communities.
11
Nevertheless, there are certain common principles/strategies/policies related tosound water resource management which the APT countries are considering
implementing or have implemented. These principles/strategies/policies involve
incremental, yet innovative and sustainable ways and means of managing the water
problem from both the demand side (to manage water demand) and supply side (toensure sustainable water supply). The onus is on each APT country to find the rightbalance within and between these two sides.
12
Tackling problems on the demand side among the APT countries include but are
not limited to the following: (i) proper pricing of water to reflect its true economic cost; (ii)promoting water conservation as a way of life through lifestyle changes and public
education; (iii) introducing better agricultural and industrial technology or techniques formore efficient uses of water; (iv) encourage other stakeholders’ participation instead of
relying solely on government efforts; and, (v) instituting better monitoring and regulatory
framework, information management and dissemination on water usage. Ultimately,
these efforts are geared towards reducing unnecessary or wasteful water consumption,
resulting in more usable water.

413Addressing problems on the supply side among the APT countries also include
but are not confined to the following: (i) improving the water mix by diversifying into newsources of water; (ii) upgrading or improving water infrastructure to reduce waterleakage or increase access to drinking water; (iii) reallocating water from surplus areas
to shortfall areas; (iv) managing and reducing water pollution, hence increasing thesupply of usable water; (v) promoting the recycling of used water; and (v) devising morecost efficient ways of desalinating sea water or capturing rainwater.
IIIChallenges Faced

14
In most APT countries, there are already existing laws, agencies, strategies andeven programs in place that are aimed at promoting sound water resource management
or even geared towards an integrated approach to water resource management. It was
found that the water-related challenges the APT countries face mainly cover the areasof governance (including implementation and coordination issues), pricing, capacity
building, stakeholders’ participation, financing, technology, cross-border and otheremerging issues such as climate change.
15

The list of key challenges includes:
Improper integration of water resource management into mainstream national
and local development objectives and plansMultiplicity of institutions overlooking water resource management, leading tooverlapping functions, unclear responsibilities and poor coordination in planning,
implementing and monitoring

Limited technological capabilities, low technical qualifications of manpower andweak infrastructurePoor or inconsistent monitoring, information management and dissemination
mechanism on water usage

Insufficient stakeholder engagement (including public-private partnership andcivil society) from planning to implementation

Lack of financial resources and inadequate budget allocation

Inequitable distribution of water resources among different economic sectors,
users and regionsComplexities of cross-border water issues such as water resource managementof the Mekong River

Impact of climate change

5

IV

Recommendations for APT Regional Cooperation

16
The availability of sufficient water quantity of acceptable quality is essential toachieving sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals. Properly
managing water resources will not only contribute to sustainable economic growth butwill also help to attain other objectives such as social equity and social progress (e.g.
poverty reduction), environmental protection, effective disaster management andprevention, and ultimately, political stability. In this important endeavor, the APT
countries can complement their national efforts to meet water-related challenges byworking together in the region. And regional cooperation will not only facilitate
exchanges of information, technology and country experiences, but also spur positive
action to better utilize our water resources in a sustainable manner.
17
Below are some key recommendations to promote cooperation in water
resource management among the APT countries:(a)

Adopt a relevant set of water indicators and ensure consistent monitoring
and reporting based on these indicators in order to help formulate better
policies or programs(b)

Devise a suitable and up-to-date regional database based on the relevant
set of indicators in (a) so as to facilitate information and data sharing(c)

Identify feasible water resource management projects at local levels in theAPT countries (involving at least two APT countries and other interestedpartners) to be carried out over a reasonable time frame(d)Develop a long-term regional framework of water resource management
encompassing and integrating all water sub-sectors(e)Allow voluntary peer review of existing action plans in order to assess
progress and identify problems(f)Publish information on best practices as well as challenges in implementing
water resource management projects in the APT countries(g)Include in school curriculums topics on environmental studies to enhanceawareness among youths of the importance of water resource management(h)Look into climate change impact on water resources for appropriate
adaptation measures(i)

Adopt appropriate economic pricing policies to promote water conservationand more efficient allocation of this scare resource for different uses

6

(j)

Involve relevant stakeholders beyond water professionals to ensure broadbased support for water resource management initiatives(k)Strengthen linkages and promote regular interactions among APT countries
to better address water-related disaster risks management such as flooding
and droughts(l)

Build closer cooperation and coordination among the countries in theMekong River Basin and other regional interested parties to better meet thechallenges of water resource management(m)

Establish a regional water fund to support water resource management
activities and exchange of information, experience and knowledge as wellas capacity building.....

7List of Delegates(in alphabetical order by country)
ASEAN Secretariat
Dr Raman LetchumananHead, Environment Division(Invited Resource Person)

Singapore
Prof John Wong
Professorial Fellow & Academic Advisor
East Asian Institute, National University ofSingapore

BruneiAbsent

Mr Lye Liang Fook, Research Fellow, East Asian
Institute, National University of Singapore

Cambodia
Mr Theng Tara
Deputy Director General of Technical Affairs andDirector, Department of Water Resources
Management and Conservation,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Ms Catherine Chong, Research Assistant, East
Asian Institute, National University of Singapore

China
Dr Guo Yanjun, Assistant Research Fellow
East Asian Studies Center, China Foreign Affairs
UniversityIndonesia
AbsentJapan
Prof Hirono Ryokichi, Vice President, Council on
East Asian Community andProfessor Emeritus, Seikei University

South Korea
Dr Jione Jung
Research Fellow
Center for International Development Cooperation,
Korea Institute for International Economic Policy(KIEP)
ThailandDr Jesda Kaewkulaya
Senior Advisor
Kasetsart UniversityVietnam
Dr Pham Quoc Tru
Deputy Director General
Institute of Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies

Lao PDR
Mr Sonexay Vannaxay, Director
Research Division, Institute of Foreign Affairs,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Malaysia
Dr Salmah Zakaria, Associate Fellow
Technology, Innovation, Environment &Sustainability (TIES),
Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS)
MyanmarDr Mu Mu Than, Staff Officer
Irrigation Department, Ministry of Agriculture andIrrigation
Philippines
Dr Danilo Israel
Research Fellow
Philippine Institute for Development Studies89