Understanding the root causes of water scarcity through System Dynamics: the Italian case of the Bracciano Lake

This study aims to address the issue of water scarcity taking into account different stakeholders’perspectives (public administration, water system operator and general population) and putting considerable weight on sustainability point-of-view. For achieving this objective, a simulation model is proposed, which allows policy-makers to make decisions based on scientific analysis offuture scenarios and provide them with a supporting tool that could be used in synergy while planning and defining water withdrawal rate limits, especially during a dry period like the one experienced in the 2017’s summer. Furthermore, the model will be able to give useful insights about which kind of policies (among feasible ones, like investments on infrastructure, rationing,etc.) are the best to preserve the adequate service level according to consumers’ needs, keeping a good level of cost efficiency.