It has long been recognized that groundwater plays a central role in the development of human societies. Groundwater resources are readily and reliably available compared with surface water resources. In many contexts, the presence of groundwater ensures the presence of life itself. The XXXII IAH (International Association of Hydrogeologists) and VI ALHSUD (Latin-American Association of Groundwater Hydrology for Development) Congress on Groundwater and Human Development, held in 2002, in Mar del Plata (Argentina), brought together over 400 participants from more than 40 countries. This...