Wikis > Case Studies > Water Management
Primary Source: http://www.feem-project.net/epiwater/

Economic Policy Instruments (EPIs) are incentives designed and implemented with the
aim of adapting individual decisions to collectively agreed goals. They include incentive
pricing, trading schemes, cooperation (e.g. payment for environmental services or
voluntary agreements), and risk management schemes. EPIs may significantly improve
an existing policy framework by incentivising, rather than commanding, behavioural
changes that may lead to environmental quality improvements. They can have a
number of additional or ancillary benefits, such as creating a permanent incentive
for technological innovation, stimulating the efficient allocation of water resources,
raising revenues to maintain and upgrade the provision of water services, promoting
water use efficiency, etc.

Launched in January 2011 for a three-year period, EPI-Water project’s (standing  for Evaluating Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management in  Europe) main aim was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of EPIs in achieving  water policy goals. In a first ex-post assessment, the project studied 30 EPIs in Europe and around the world (Australia, Chile, China, Israel and the United States of America).  Below are the case studies from this project.