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In Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR, wetlands offer flood attenuation and wastewater treatment services valued at USD 2 million per year. It has been estimated that these ecosystem services constitute investment savings of more than USD 18 million in damage costs avoided and USD 1.5 million in the artificial technologies that would be required to fulfill the same functions.  In Uganda alone, the use of inland water resources is worth almost USD 300 million a year in terms of forest catchment protection, erosion control and water purification services. Almost 1 million urban dwellers rely on natural wetlands for wastewater retention and purification services. Work carried out in the Zambezi Basin in Southern Africa shows that natural wetlands have a net present value of more than USD 64 million. That is USD 16 million in terms of groundwater recharge, USD 45 million in terms of water purification and treatment services and USD 3 million in reducing flood-related damage costs. - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=19&ved=0CGkQFjAIOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjourneytoforever.org%2Ffarm_library%2FAD15.pdf&ei=VBTAT8qiGuOsiALf_sX4Bw&usg=AFQjCNFVduvo_R82hs4Un2B-KjLg34oMzA&sig2=UqhRFw01IlMHiPZQDAZbuA MAKING WATER A PART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.]