The Galician Law Of Water: A New Economy Of Water?

Recent studies borne in the field of the New Economy of Water or the New Culture of Water introduce a new perspective of water management that conceive this resource as an ecosocial asset and not just as a public good submitted to criteria of mercantile transactions. These studies suggest a set of measures to improve water efficiency which are not uniquely based on water-pricing policies.The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the Galician Law of Water, which has been approved in 2010, under this perspective. This law is the main instrument that the Galician government has to manage complex issues surrounding water management such as: water supply, sanitation and depuration of residual waters, hydrological planification, or the protection of estuaries. According to the european polluters pays principle, this law introduces the principle of recovery of the costs of water services, by creating two new taxes related to the use and consumption of water.