Sustainability of economic development and governance patterns in water management: an overview on the reorganisation of public utilities in Campania, Italy, under EU Framework Directive in the field of water policy (2000/60/CE)

The present study focuses on a crucial issue which is closely related to innovative global/local scale-designed approach and management forms that highlight the existence of a genuine trade-off between the tools of environmental policy and the logics of liberalization and enhancement of the potentials of environmental public utilities thus giving rise, within Community policies, to a holistc view of the water sector that considers the "discipline of waters" as an integral part of the broader "environmental policy" which is focused on the role of local public utilities that are more and more required to establish relations with multiple subjects in a perspective of governance. Unfortunately though, the contributions to the debate on this controversial issue have so far been very scarce thus not allowing for the definition of the most appropriate theoretical and operative paths likely to lead to the detection of models of collective action. The present study will be developed on two levels closely related between themselves: a theoretical level (the study of EC Directive 2000/60), and a methodological level, focused on the different possibilities of realizing a system of regulation/organization of water distribution services in the form of environmental LPUs which is likely to favor the establishment of management conditions consistent with the needs of community development.