Developing Asian countries should not experience a water crisis in the future—there is now enough knowledge, technology, and expertise available in the region to solve its existing and future water problems. However, if some Asian countries face a crisis in the future, inadequate or inappropriate water governance, not physical scarcity of water, will be the likely reason. This is one of the key messages highlighted in the newly published Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) 2007. The report is ADB's recent contribution to the discussion among leaders on managing Asia and the Pacific's water resources for the future.

Benchmarking is an effective tool to improve performance. This knowledge product provides information on water utilities in 20 cities joining the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The analysis and profiles in this data book will help to identify new JNNURM projects for improving water utility performance.

The book presents case studies of good practice on sustainable urban development from 12 Asian countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It provides insights into current issues, management approaches, and investment types in urban development in Asian setting. It also provides other examples of good practice in sustainable urban region development in the context of more advanced economies. It is a useful reference for city managers, political leaders, and professionals responsible for planning and managing the development of cities.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), identified in the 2000 United Nations Millennium Declaration, reflect the commitment of the world community to work together and reduce global poverty. The MDGs’ Target 10 calls for the world to halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation by 2015. It presents a particularly formidable challenge for Asia and the Pacific, where one in three persons does not have access to safe, sustainable water supplies, and one in two to sanitation. This report assesses the region’s prospects of reaching Target 10. Important to the progress and prospects of the region is the rationale that this report presents: it is not investing for water’s sake, but for poverty’s sake.