Accounting for water: A global review and indicators of best practice for improved water governance

Effective water governance requires timely and reliable information, yet water data are often scattered or missing. Water accounting organizes existing data to provide decision-makers with the best possible information. We reviewed 271 water accounts from 139 publications from 78 countries and regions to determine their scope and coverage. Account production increased over time and occurs in countries of low- to high-income, small to large size, and at various water stress levels. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting was the most used water accounting framework (n = 73). Many accounts are “one-off” exercises (n = 138). Twenty-seven countries have regular accounts with a time series extending >10 years. Annual accounts were produced mainly by national statistical offices (n = 14). The most common types of water accounts produced were for physical (i.e., m³) water supply and use (n = 74) and water assets (n = 54), with the level of environmental and economic detail highly variable. Indicators of best practice water accounting are improved engagement between account producers and users for determining users' needs in terms of the range of accounts, the number of industries and water resources recorded, spatial and temporal coverage, production frequency and timeliness, integration with other environmental and economic data, and the quality and accessibility of water accounts.