ABSTRACT

Chile's move towards more sustainable development and management of its water resources has been one of gradual adaptation, closely tied to the country's economic development. In the mid-1970s, Chile pursued a development model based on three major themes: maintaining macroeconomic equilibrium; strengthening the role the market plays in the allocation of resources, including water; and opening up the economy to world markets while exporting products for which the country had an advantage, almost all of which use water in their production processes.