This brief is aimed at providing a basic reference relating to international time-bound commitments in the area of water, with a view to facilitating discussion around water resources, management and quality in the course of the preparation for UNCSD. It examines existing commitments; briefly reports on their implementation; examines proposals that have been made to date in relation to future goals with time-bound targets for the international community to consider. Finally, a number of examples are cited of good practices in improving access and sustainable management of scarce water resources.