Participatory Irrigation Management schemes may superficially appear to be simple administrative measures but can in fact prove to be complex operations with far-reaching social consequences. They must therefore be tailor-made for each situation and to ensure success, the social and cultural background of the population involved have to be considered. The paper gives a brief overview of some social and anthropological aspects of water usage in agriculture in order to understand how local communities look upon and react to the changes brought about by a reduction in the government's role of irrigation management and a consequent increase in their own responsibilities. It is not a description of a specific regional or national situation - though some references to particular Mediterranean characteristics are included - but a general discussion about some socio-anthropological principles relevant to the privatisation process of irrigation networks. The respective advantages to governments and farmers are outlined, as are some problems and misunderstandings that may arise.