The fastest dwindling and most valuable resource in the world today is not oil, it is water, clean, safe, fresh water. Clean, fresh drinking water is essential to human and animal life. It is equally important to the world economy: it functions as a universal solvent, makes possible industrial cooling and transportation, and is necessary for all kinds of agriculture. The author, CEO of Veolia Water, takes us on a tour of the world's waters, of our water. Lack of clean water kills 2.2 million people every year, and nearly 1 billion people do not have reliable access to clean drinking water. Using examples that transform theory into close to home reality, he issues a serious challenge while showing us how to ensure that all the fast-growing cities of Asia, Africa, and Latin America have enough water. He considers how climate change will cause water shortages and explains what we can do now to prevent them. We have the political, economic, and scientific means to ensure the future of water on earth: we need only the will to take action.

Originally published: Paris : Autrement, 2009.

Introduction : a time to take responsibility -- The water century -- Satisfying growing needs -- Preventing further loss of the quality of our water resources -- Europe sets a goal : a return to good water quality -- Water : the primary issue for human development -- Water's false friends -- Climate change and water : disturbing facts -- Two misplaced "good ideas" : "free water" and "user pays for all" -- The private sector : too much or too little involvement? -- Water : is the service too expensive? -- Funders, often criticised but indispensable -- Finding new models -- New resources -- New economic and financial models -- Helping more the disadvantaged -- Governance : at the root of the problem, at the heart of the solution.