Gouvernance durable du service public de l'eau et ancrage territorial : une approche par les profils de territoires

This paper focuses on sustainable territorial governance applied to water management services. In the French context, water management is historically localized and strongly impacted by sustainability issues. This paper analyses whether territorial composition may influence the institutional form of water management services and the extent to which water companies adapt to the specific local context. A mapping of the different territorial profiles is produced using factorial analysis in four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne and Gironde. By crossing territorial profiles with the characteristics of water management services, we question the impact of territorial composition on the organizational form of water management services and we highlight differences in the adaptation of water companies to local specificities. These differences may be interpreted as a way of anchoring the relationship between water companies and territorial authorities.