Priority Tasks of the Russian Water Utilization System

    Russia must choose a way for intensification of its economy. In this connection, it is ne-cessary to promote resource saving rather than expand new raw-material industries. This fully applies to our ineffective water management when water bodies in industrially developed regions are in a poor condition, the housing and utility sector is, in the best case, at the level it used to be fifty years ago, and new agricultural water consumption technologies are being introduced far too slowly, if at all.
    It is imperative that a state policy aimed to build capacity for sustainable water use be developed and consistently put into practice. This would lay the groundwork for resolving a whole series of related issues within the shortest possible timeframe. To this end, in 2009 the Russian government developed and adopted the Water Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2020, which defined the focus areas in the water resource sphere. The implementation of steps devised as part of the Strategy will answer the need of all groups of water consumers in water resources, including through improving the rationality and integrity of water management; gradually improve the quality of water and the sanitary and epidemiological condition of water ecosystems; raise the level of protection of communities and economic facilities against adverse impacts of water; upgrade and build production infrastructure for the water utilization system based on the world’s most recent advances; raise the competitiveness of national products and technologies on the domestic and world markets; increase the scope of research and development projects; and expand the innovation efforts of water utilization facilities and organizations and related enterprises.

    V.I. Danilov-Danilian
    Institute of Water Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences