Competition for Water:
Policy Pressures and Policy Options

Negative environmental impacts associated with competition for water between livestock, agricultural and human use stem largely from inadequately defined user rights to water.

The main policy principles to be observed are as follows:

- Livestock watering requirements (including buffalo wallowing requirements) should be integrated into physical planning of water provision
- Rights to water of different stakeholder groups should be codified and local regulations supported by legislation
- In mixed farming systems, waterpoints will generally be better placed in existing cultivation areas, rather than outside, where they may create pressures to cultivate marginal and unsuitable areas
- Where practical, full cost-recovery should be instituted for livestock and agricultural water use. Cost-recovery should include recovery of the cost of maintaining water points such that they can supply unpolluted water, and rectifying physical damage to crops and infrastructure around water points.

The discussion of planning of waterpoint provision in grazing systems is also relevant.

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