This richly documented book asks the major questions about the enormously important political and geo-strategic issue of water. Does water have a price? Is it a right or a need? Is there a water crisis? Will wars be fought over water? Should we be worried about water pollution? Can the available technological solutions keep it under control? It also provides some elements of an answer. It shows that the ways in which water is used and managed raise central issues about our lifestyle, our ethics, and our relationship to nature and the biosphere. It makes the case for a society that is more economical with water, and calls for global management of water resources in a spirit of solidarity, openness, and respect for the rules of democracy.