Good water governance is necessary to achieve water security, fairly allocate water resources and avoid disputes.[1] Correct use of water resources is necessary, first, so that the population of a territory does not die of thirst. Second, to irrigate their subsistence crops.[7]​ Third, for adequate hygiene, which provides them with health. Fourth, for greater agricultural performance, which not only allows them to subsist, but also export, and access more products.[7]​ And fifth, for the installation of industries, which promote development and wealth.

Providing a country with good water governance can be very cheap and have a great impact on its development. Much more, for example, than expensive hydraulic works that could not be used if they were carried out within poor water governance.[8]​ The water governance that is developed must adapt to the characteristics and institutions of the country.[9]​[7]​.

The fact that there is water governance in a territory does not necessarily mean that it is good. Based on its characteristics it could be classified asː.

• - Correctː works well and allows proper water management.

• - Insufficientː does not take into account important aspects.

• - Dysfunctional or poorly designedː more than one agency has jurisdiction over the same aspect, or the actions of public agencies collide with those of private organizations[10]​.

• - Non-existentː there may be areas with great abundance of water or very little development where, in practice, there is no water governance.

To assess water governance in a territory, it is useful to prepare a map of the relevant actors, their competencies, their actions and their limitations.[11]​.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has formulated the following 12 principles:[12]​.

1. • Assign and clearly distinguish roles and responsibilities in water policy formulation, policy implementation, operational management and regulation, and promote coordination between these responsible authorities.

2. • Manage water at the appropriate scale(s) within integrated basin governance systems to reflect local conditions, and encourage coordination between different scales.

3. • Promote policy coherence through effective intersectoral coordination, especially between policies on water and the environment, health, energy, agriculture, industry, territorial planning and land use.

4. • Adequately train those responsible for each scale.

5. • Produce, update and share timely, coherent, comparable and relevant data and information for water policies, and use them to guide, evaluate and improve them.

6. • Ensure that governance arrangements help mobilize water finance and allocate the necessary financial resources.

7. • Ensure that water management regulatory frameworks are applied and enforced.

8. • Promote innovative water governance practices among authorities and stakeholders.

9. • Integrate integrity and transparency practices into water policies and water governance for greater responsibility and confidence in decision-making.

10. • Promote the participation of all actors in the design and application of water policies.

11. • Promote water governance that helps manage trade-offs between water users, between rural and urban areas, and between generations.

12. • Promote periodic and public monitoring and evaluation of water policy and governance to make adjustments deemed necessary.

In 2014, the OECD launched the Water Governance Initiative, a network of more than 100 experts from the public and private sectors who meet twice a year to share experiences and make recommendations.[13]​.

The organization Transparency International has established the Water Integrity Network (Water Integrity Network), because the water sector is vulnerable to corruption.[2]​.

• - Ecological flow.

• - Right to water and sanitation.

• - Water shortage.

Good water governance is necessary to achieve water security, fairly allocate water resources and avoid disputes.[1] Correct use of water resources is necessary, first, so that the population of a territory does not die of thirst. Second, to irrigate their subsistence crops.[7]​ Third, for adequate hygiene, which provides them with health. Fourth, for greater agricultural performance, which not only allows them to subsist, but also export, and access more products.[7]​ And fifth, for the installation of industries, which promote development and wealth.

Providing a country with good water governance can be very cheap and have a great impact on its development. Much more, for example, than expensive hydraulic works that could not be used if they were carried out within poor water governance.[8]​ The water governance that is developed must adapt to the characteristics and institutions of the country.[9]​[7]​.

The fact that there is water governance in a territory does not necessarily mean that it is good. Based on its characteristics it could be classified asː.

• - Correctː works well and allows proper water management.

• - Insufficientː does not take into account important aspects.

• - Dysfunctional or poorly designedː more than one agency has jurisdiction over the same aspect, or the actions of public agencies collide with those of private organizations[10]​.

• - Non-existentː there may be areas with great abundance of water or very little development where, in practice, there is no water governance.

To assess water governance in a territory, it is useful to prepare a map of the relevant actors, their competencies, their actions and their limitations.[11]​.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has formulated the following 12 principles:[12]​.

1. • Assign and clearly distinguish roles and responsibilities in water policy formulation, policy implementation, operational management and regulation, and promote coordination between these responsible authorities.

2. • Manage water at the appropriate scale(s) within integrated basin governance systems to reflect local conditions, and encourage coordination between different scales.

3. • Promote policy coherence through effective intersectoral coordination, especially between policies on water and the environment, health, energy, agriculture, industry, territorial planning and land use.

4. • Adequately train those responsible for each scale.

5. • Produce, update and share timely, coherent, comparable and relevant data and information for water policies, and use them to guide, evaluate and improve them.

6. • Ensure that governance arrangements help mobilize water finance and allocate the necessary financial resources.

7. • Ensure that water management regulatory frameworks are applied and enforced.

8. • Promote innovative water governance practices among authorities and stakeholders.

9. • Integrate integrity and transparency practices into water policies and water governance for greater responsibility and confidence in decision-making.

10. • Promote the participation of all actors in the design and application of water policies.

11. • Promote water governance that helps manage trade-offs between water users, between rural and urban areas, and between generations.

12. • Promote periodic and public monitoring and evaluation of water policy and governance to make adjustments deemed necessary.

In 2014, the OECD launched the Water Governance Initiative, a network of more than 100 experts from the public and private sectors who meet twice a year to share experiences and make recommendations.[13]​.

The organization Transparency International has established the Water Integrity Network (Water Integrity Network), because the water sector is vulnerable to corruption.[2]​.

• - Ecological flow.

• - Right to water and sanitation.

• - Water shortage.