At the beginning of the 1990s, water-sector 'development' still meant providing physical infrastructure. Now the emphasis is on an integrated approach - but what is the best (and most cost-effective) way of achieving and managing this sustainably? Two broad disciplinary approaches are possible. One sees water primarily as a natural resource and is particularly concerned with land and water interactions. The other sees water as related to people, their health and well-being. These two approaches coincide with the idea that the planning of water resources can be divided into that intended for 'productive' use (often through irrigation), and that for drinking or other 'domestic' purposes. We suggest that, in the 1990s, the main themes in both approaches overlap; and there are significant cross-cutting issues that produce a complex and changing framework within which the planning and management of projects can take place.