Five water allocation case studies were examined from four states in Australia. Issues varied from allocation between irrigators to that of 12 competing uses. The attitudinal and philosophical determinants of the fairness of the decision making for case studies separately and collectively were determined for a water-literate community. Agreement with general philosophical attitudes, rated importance of philosophical principles in decision making in each case study, and attitudes towards localized issues could, in combination, clearly discriminate people's differential perceptions of the fairness. It was also found that there was consistency in the importance placed on philosophical principles across the case studies. These principles can be used as a basis for empirical community evaluation of the fairness of decision making in water allocation.¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union