Water soft path analysis: from principles to practice.

The “soft path” for water is a concept for long-range planning that includes quantitative and qualitative methods to design options for freshwater policy that are economically feasible, environmentally sustainable and socially responsive. A soft path approach offers the potential for greater water savings than conventional demand management because it challenges assumptions based on routine planning and neoclassical economics that limit demand management mainly to cost-effective efficiency measures. This article gives an overview of soft path analytics, including its potential and its limitations, as illustrated by case studies undertaken in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]