Ruairi O'Connell

Water Troubles

Access to water resources is meant to be the emerging 'driver of conflict' as we enter the 21st century. Climate change, population increases, and urbanisation mean increasing pressures on scarce water resources, making conflict more likely.

We are yet to see our first 'water war', thankfully. But in Kosovo, the government is keeping a close eye on the water issue - and the long term weather reports. Despite a brief - if quite fierce - downpour on Saturday, two dry winters caused a severe lack of water across Kosovo last summer, affecting domestic consumption, agriculture, and also industry (I hadn't realised quite how much cooling water Kosovo's two coal-powered power stations use). This winter has been even drier. This has left Kosovo's reservoirs at unprecedented, low levels - even before the summer begins.

Kosovo's position is noteworthy. A country the size, roughly, of Devon and Cornwall together, it sits astride three water tables, with rivers flowing to the Aegean, Adriatic and Black Seas. It is also home to the Nerodimka river (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerodimka) once a unique example of river bifurcation in Europe. Landlocked, its major rivers either flowing from its neighbours (like the Ibar, from Serbia) or into them (like the Drin, to Albania), Kosovo will not be able to manage its water resources without reference to its neighbours.

Of course, Kosovo's neighbours, especially those also land-locked, will need to refer to Kosovo in managing their own resources.

Last summer, the Kosovo authorities took a series of emergency measures to conserve water (such as a hosepipe ban, reductions in shortages, drilling of new wells), but these are, by their nature, just stop-gap measures. Water provision is one of the first challenges that the newly-independent Kosovo faces; and its resolution will require strategic thought, tough (and unpopular, no doubt) decisions - and, as soon as possible, a regional approach.

Posted at 17:28 03 March 2008 by Ruairi O'Connell  |  Comments[1]