r Indian cities (Twort, Ratnayaka and Brandt, 2000). While most of the developed world and the wealthiest customers in the developing countries do not pay the true economic costs of water services, the poorest have to purchase water from local carriers or bottles at up to 500 times the cost for their wealthy neighbours in the same country. Despite the availability of good-quality, continuous water supply from the tap in developed countries, there is an increasing demand for bottled water. This may be due to perceptions that it is of better quality, or for taste, fashion or convenience. Globally, the expenditure on bottled water has now reached some USD 100 billion per year and consumption is growing at a rate of 10% per annum (Gleick, 2004). The largest consumers are the United States, Mexico and China, with consumption in China growing the fastest in the period 1997-2002. Regionally, there has been considerable growth between 1997 and 2002 on all continents except in Africa. The amounts being spent on bottled water worldwide could pay for piped supplies to most of the world currently lacking these facilities, and the material and transport resource use and pollution from the packaging (mostly PET plastic) have major impacts (Ferrier, 2001). In some developing countries, manufacturers continue to over-abstract from aquifers to produce high-cost bottled water, compromising local supplies (Earth Policy Institute, 2006). Although the demand for bottled water could potentially reduce the need for global infrastructure for piped supplies this may be offset by the ensuing increases in energy demand, waste production and transport infrastructure needs. Increasing demand for bottled water may also influence decisions about the need to maintain the serviceability of existing water infrastructure assets. Ironically, the quality of bottled water is often dubious. In addition to domestic supplies, water is also provided for: Agriculture - irrigation of crops, livestock, horticulture - very dependent on activities, local soil