Water is life and its preservation is not only a moral obligation but also a legal requirement. By 2030, global demands will exceed more than 40 % the existing resources and more than a third of the world's population will have to deal with water shortages (European Environmental Agency [EEA], 2010). Climate change effects on water resources will not help. Efforts are being made throughout Euro...

The European Water Framework Directive establishes a framework for protecting water resources and prescribes a set of environmental objectives which are to be achieved by 2015. The Directive’s implementation will entail decisions which will have to consider multiple, uncertain decision outcomes, and which involve or affect a variety of stakeholders. A raft of methods such as cost benefit analys...