ISBN 92-808-1012-X 1999, 352 pages US$29.95, paper

The Bolivia Summit of the Americas declared in 1996 that "Despite extensive efforts by countries in the Americas to improve water use and management, demand continues to rise while contamination has seriously degrated the quality of freshwater, spreading disease and causing economic losses."

Increasing populations, the environmental stresses of economic development and water-related public health risks make sustainable water management increasingly complex. As per-capita demand for water in developing countries is steadily increasing, analysis indicates that the cost of future water source development will be double to triple the cost of similar projects in the current decade.

This book gathers expert analyses of issues surrounding three of Latin America's largest and most important rivers, including inter-state and intra-state conflicts over their fair and sustainable use.

Asit K. Biswas and Cecilia Tortajada are staff members of the Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigacioen y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD) in Mexico City. Benedito P.F. Braga is president of the International Water Resources Association (WRA) and teaches at the Escola Politecnica, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Newton V. Cordeiro was formerly water unit chief of the Organization of American States.