We recognise the important contribution of rainwater use in reaching the objectives of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Millennium Development Goals.

Rainwater harvesting has proved to be an excellent, low cost and simple technique in combating water related poverty in developing and developed countries. It can provide water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and environmental purposes as well as for managing floods and droughts.

The Rainwater Partnership, formed in The Netherlands on 7th October 2004, brings together leading organisations involved in the advocacy and implementation of rainwater harvesting. The Partnership has two main objectives:

(i) to promote the mainstreaming of rainwater into water policies and strategies within the integrated water resources management (IWRM) framework and,

(ii) to promote the implementation of these policies and strategies. This should result in the allocation of necessary financial, human and institutional resources for its use.

We, together with the Rainwater Partnership, therefore urge that:

The upcoming CSD 13 adopts rainwater as a critical freshwater resource, a primary option in water development and use and, includes it in all its water polices and strategies; Governments adopt rainwater harvesting as part of their water polices and strategies within the IWRM framework; Governments allocate adequate human, financial and institutional resources for implementing rainwater harvesting.