The world is waking up to the fact that water is key to sustainable development. Previously seen as the Cinderella among the United Nations’ many preoccupations, 2010 finally saw access to clean water and sanitation recognised by the UN as a human right. Not a moment too soon – OECD modelling suggests that if we continue current trends, by 2050, 2.3 billion additional people will be living in river basins that are under extreme water stress. Despite some good progress driven by the Millennium Development Goals, water statistics continue to alarm: every year, for instance, dirty water causes the death of more than 2.2 million children under the age of 14. This chapter, written by three senior water policy makers, calls for a profound rethink of how we tackle the water crisis, including:seeing water as one of the key elements of future growth;using innovative methods to fund the water challenge to the tune of 1-2% of individual countries’ GDP over the next 20 years;taking an integrated approach to water resources management;bringing together multiple partners and stakeholders to manage water in the context of decentralised and transparent governance; andincluding such innovative water policy in the overall context of other development.