Water resource planning: the Italian experience

Like other natural resources, today water is an important “economic” good.In particular, in most industrialised countries, the increase in waterconsumption, generated by economic development, has given rise to verystrong competition among areas, uses, users, present and future generationsover the access to the resource. It has thus become urgent to draw up planningmethodologies with the aim of rationalising the management of the watersector. This article analyses the water resource planning in the Italianexperience from a theoretical and historical perspective, highlighting the linkbetween principles and practical problems.