ABSTRACT
After dwelling on the contribution of the lawyer to the drafting of water legislation, and on what should be kept in mind when taking up this task, this chapter elaborates on the reasons why the need arises to regulate certain human activities and to introduce certain water management tools. The issues that a water law should address and possible options for handling them are examined. Although emphasis is placed on legal provisions relating to the development and use of water resources and to the control of water quality, particular attention is paid to current trends, such as the ‘greening’ of water law and the increasing consideration of the right to water – not to be confused with the right to use water or water rights – as a human right.
