 almost certainly bring about the virtual closing of the water cycle in the areas of domestic and industrial use, leading to a potential decrease in the demand on new resources. In agriculture the efficiency of per unit water use would increase substantially through the ability to target and tailor the application of water coupled with an improvement in crop strains. Public decision making In both the developed and developing world, decision making is and will become more complex and problematic but for differing reasons, such as the rise in power and influence of some stakeholder groups, particularly the MNIs. This will affect key issues such as how infrastructure will be financed and its location, with nimbyism becoming more prevalent in the developed countries. Ironically, public access to information and measures such as those deriving from the Aarhus Convention in Europe actually may not facilitate access to information about how decisions are really made, due to commercial confidentiality. In the developing world the pattern of decision making will continue to exhibit wide divergence, correlated with economic development and performance and the rise of a middle class. This will determine the role of the private sector, although it is likely that many developing states will seek to maintain some form of control over the provision of water services. Thus partnerships, franchises and concessions could well be the preferred mechanisms for engaging with the private sector, including both local and MNC/TNC. There will be mechanisms for incorporating degrees of local involvement of communities and of accountabilities, but the essential relationships will remain at government level. In the case of those lesser developed countries (LDCs) with poor economic prospects it is anticipated that the role of the private sector in water services will be relatively weak and conversely that of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) correspondingly important as they enter into partnerships with local bodies, effec