WATER PLANNING

Water planning is an analytical planning process developed and continually modified to address the physical, economic, and sociological dimensions of water use. As a planning process it must assess and quantify the available supply of water resources and the future demands anticipated to be levied upon those resources. Based upon this continuous supply and demand evaluation, water planning must also give direction for moving water supplies to points of use while encouraging users to be good and effective stewards of available water resources. The water planning process requires constant re-evaluation and updating to address changing social, political, economic, and environmental parameters. While the ultimate objective of such efforts is typically the development of a comprehensive, publicly-supported Water Plan, it is also critical to develop and maintain a comprehensive and viable water planning process that covers various aspects of water resource development, transport, water treatment, allocation among various competing uses, conservation, waste-water treatment, re-use, and disposal. Also see Water Policy.