Urban water regulation in Europe

Abstract

The methods of managing water resources have modified over time, as has the legal framework that sustains it. Traditionally management was based on modifying the supply to satisfy all demands, but has now become more focused on the management of the demand. New holistic approaches to the management of water resources have led to the predominance of certain economic instruments to address water problems. It is not possible to talk about the legal regime of the urban water cycle in isolation. The water resources that are used to supply cities are a percentage of the total available in a certain area and, therefore, are included in a delimitation and planning process that exceeds the urban scope. Water management in general is subject to a legal and administrative framework, which in many cases is exceedingly complex, setting out who intervenes in the organisation of resources, how they are managed and the competences assigned to each administration.