The effectiveness of urban water management systems in delivering safe, reliable drinking water efficiently can greatly influence the economic viability of a region. Regardless of the role and responsibility of public and private stake-holders, the bottom line is that all urban water systems must be actively engaged in the following activities to provide sustainable and growth-capable services:

• financing for repair, replacement, growth and disaster preparedness.
• cultivating expertise in emerging technologies.
• Increasing efficiency in loss detection and systems repair.
• Improving detection and removal of hazardous materials.

Urban water systems require financing. Technologies to effectively filter, monitor, and deliver water through municipal water systems are largely developed in the private sector. Innovating technologies and techniques are being developed to continue to improve the quality and efficiency of the water we use.

Ultimately, the cost to consume water is driven by the relative availability of water supply and the effectiveness of the water supply management. Investment capable of meeting the demands of a changing demographic, incentivised to improve efficiency and quality is essential regardless of ownership of the profits.

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