|
Abstract: There are two possible broad strategies to address the challenge of water scarcity – limit water demand through conservation, or augment water supply. With respect to increasing supply, there are several possible approaches, including traditional approaches such as drilling more wells, increasing reservoir capacity, rainwater harvesting, or seawater desalination. But these approaches may only ultimately exacerbate water scarcity or result in unacceptable environmental impacts. This essay focuses on three non-traditional approaches to water augmentation – bulk water imports, watershed management, and cloud seeding. This essay evaluates the viability of each of these approaches within the context of existing legal regimes and proposes three possible reforms that could facilitate responsible non-traditional water augmentation projects when appropriate.
|