Fresh water is one of the essential natural resources on Earth, and groundwater constitutes 98% of the liquid fresh water on the planet. Yet, throughout the world, groundwater resources are being depleted, allocated, squandered, contaminated – but rarely is their fundamental value to humankind thought about or understood! Groundwater for the 21st Century is an effort to increase the groundwater literacy – from local to global scales, among laymen, students, and professionals – of citizens of planet Earth. Groundwater for the 21st Century provides two very important perspectives on the resource – (a) a thorough yet accessible introduction to basic groundwater science and (b) a current, concise but comprehensive overview of groundwater resources and their importance, uses, status, management, and prospects in today’s world. The book is well organised, substantive, clearly written in accessible language, and richly endowed with numerous illustrations and tables. An overview of the book is provided at www.mwpubco.com/titles/groundwater.htm – and we especially invite readers to review the Author’s (a) Detailed Table of Contents and (b) Expanded Description, both of which are available at the link provided. Why is this Book Important? Groundwater for the 21st Century is the most comprehensive overview available combining groundwater science and groundwater use by humans, and it has been organised and written specifically for use by a wide range of readers of all ages, places, interests, and nationalities who might wish or need to be informed and literate about freshwater issues. The health, food, financial security, and habitability of homes and communities – the lives – of billions of human beings depends upon the availability of sufficient amounts of fresh water. This book provides much material with which to inform readers about the nature of water, its distribution, and its uses and abuses by humans. From this, readers will be better prepared to evaluate their own actions and those of their neighbours, communities, and the hierarchy of decision makers that lead, guide, influence, and otherwise shape the present and future world. Who is this book intended for? Groundwater for the 21st Century is intended for the working bookshelves of a very broad audience of readers. After all, groundwater is of often unrecognised but unquestionably absolute value to all of humankind. That broad audience includes (a) individual readers of diverse ages and backgrounds who will seek out this volume on their own to pro-actively inform themselves of freshwater resources and their importance; (b) those who teach, lead, and direct others with respect to informed natural resource management; and © those with more advanced knowledge of the subject who might wish to acquaint themselves with some of the broader aspects or relationships of their speciality.
