GWP Toolbox - C1.04 Developing water management indicators

Water management indicators are an important tool in the development of water policies, the setting of targets and goals and monitoring management performance. The appropriate combination of indicators helps to show how well IWRM objectives are being met, and if necessary, can provide a tool to help reformulate policies and programmes. Indicators support transparency and enable civil society and governments to judge performance. They can also be used for benchmarking, to encourage better performance from, for instance, water service providers, and in the use of yardsticks, a parallel technique that uses the performance of a similar organisation as an indicator of performance.