This book provides a comprehensive overview of the legal regime governing fresh water, its protection, management, and uses. It looks at the status of water in international law, taking into account its multi-faceted nature, whether environmental, social, cultural, or economic. It examines the universal and regional dimensions of the regulation of water, including issues surrounding the treatment of water in environmental, human rights, trade, and investment law. It addresses linksbetween international, regional, and national water regulatory frameworks, and assesses the role of dispute settlement mechanisms and procedures in the area of water. The role of the concerned institutions is analyzed as well as the contribution of non-state actors. Arguing that the protection and management of water has permeated and is linked to all sectors of human activity, the book promotes an integrated perspective by not only taking account of the legal instruments that specifically deal with water issues, but also of other legal principles and rules that have an impact on water management and protection.