Une eau qui déborde les modèles économiques ? Faisons flotter quelques malentendus

Doesn't water overflow the economic models? Let us float some misunderstandings

DR CNRS, LATTS

Abstract

The debate on sustainable water management, and on its recognition as an economic good and a market good is becoming global, but within a certain confusion. It is not only due to mixing up water as a resource and water markets on the one hand, and water as a public service and its privatisation on the other hand. This paper tries to show that economists themselves disagree as to how consider efficient management of renewable natural resources, and also as to the evaluation of the efficient and fair price for water services provision. The review of these various trends is followed by afterthoughts on the evaluation report of the French Agences de l'eau by the Commissariat au Plan. Lastly, the presentation of the concept of full cost recovery of water services is illustrated by two contrasted examples on Barcelona and Los Angeles, which help understand what demand side management brings to the issue.