1. Water fundamentals / Joseph Holden -- 2. The changing water cycle / Stephen Sitch and Frances Drake -- 3. River basin hydrology / Joseph Holden -- 4. Surface water quality / Pippa J. Chapman, Paul Kay, Gordon Mitchell and Colin S. Pitts -- 5. Groundwater / L. Jared West and Noelle E. Odling -- 6. Aquatic ecosystems / Lee E. Brown, Colin S. Pitts and Alison M. Dunn -- 7. Water demand planning and management / Adrian T. McDonald and Gordon Mitchell -- 8. Water and health / Rebecca J. Slack -- 9. Potable water and wastewater treatment / Nigel J. Horan -- 10. Water economics / Sonja S. Teelucksingh, Nesha C. Beharry-Borg and Dabo Guan -- 11. Water conflict, law and governance / Kitriphar Tongper and Anamika Barua -- 12. The future of water : water footprints and virtual water / Martin R. Tillotson, Megan Beresford, Dabo Guan and Joseph Holden.