Urban Water Issues/Strategies in the Humid Tropics

by John S. Gladwell, Univ of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Low Kwai Sim, Univ of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Resources Planning and Management and Urban Water Resources

Abstract:

Annual rainfall volumes in the Humid Tropics are large, and the events can be quite intense, but they can also be highly variable, with periods in which little or no rainfall occurs. Streams and canals can have high ratios of high to low flows, and low flows can occur over extended periods, resulting in low capacities for natural purification. The predominating high temperatures can further reduce the capability. The capacities of countries of the humid tropics to respond to the challenges are also hampered by a number of inadequacies in knowledge of the natural systems existing in the region and in the attitudes to the preparation and implementation of management policies. The institutional arrangements for the control of urban water-related problems are often unmanageable and result in greater negative impacts on the environment through a lack of integrated water management strategies.

Subject Headings: Water management | Urban and regional development | Municipal water | Urban areas | Tropical regions | Humidity | Water resources

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