In some regions, agriculture remains an important economic factor, especially in the south east, which is also where some of the river basins most affected by water scarcity are located (see further below). The decline in 2005 and 2006 can to some extent be attributed to a marked decline in precipitation, which reduced water supply to irrigated agriculture, reflecting the priority water legislation assigns to urban water consumption (see below). A consensus has emerged that the scope for expanding water supply through new large-scale hydraulic projects has ended. (