Water is essential for life and the trigger for this book is in the increasing threats to uninterrupted, good quality water to large concentrations of population, which include natural and manmade, the latter including accidental and, unfortunately, also intentional. Israel in particular is aware of the risks of terror, including to its water supply and it is not surprising that the initiative for a NATO workshop, the outcome of which is presented here, came from this country.
This book reflects the outcome of a three day NATO Advanced Workshop entitled 'Supply of Water to Cities in Emergency Situations' organized by ICTAF at Tel-Aviv University and The University of Thessaly, Department of Planning and Regional Development and sponsored by the NATO Security through Science programme. Some 35 experts from 14 countries from Europe, the Middle East and Asia assembled in Tel-Aviv for this event.
The 20 papers presented and the discussions which took place throughout the workshop illuminate a broad spectrum of problems and of concerns to the orderly water supply in the different participating countries ranging from floods, through contamination due to deteriorated infrastructure and to a surprisingly low concern related to intentional terror-related threats. We find insufficient preparedness in many countries to cope with severe disruption of water supply.
We expect publicity and discussion to raise the level of awareness of relevant decision makers worldwide to this essential issue and to encourage development and implementation of procedures and means for combating the threat.