water cycle exemplifies a comprehensive approach. Leveraging sensors for realtime monitoring, Spain focuses on optimizing water infrastructure performance, ensuring efficient resource allocation, and enhancing decision-making processes. The integration of smart meters further contributes to sustainable water use practices.189 The key components of the PERTE plan thus include digital twin technology, IoT sensors for real-time monitoring, smart metering for efficient water use, public-private collaboration. The main achievements of the plan are operational efficiency (thanks to real-time monitoring and digital twin technology that have significantly improved the operational efficiency of water infrastructure), reduction in water losses (due to Implementation of smart meters and IoT sensors), and enhanced sustainability (the plan aligns with sustainability goals in terms of efficient water use, reduced environmental impact).190 Among the other countries in the region, Italy has undertaken digital transformation initiatives to address water challenges. The deployment of sensors in water systems allows for real-time monitoring, aiding in the detection of leakages and ensuring the integrity of water infrastructure. Data analytics play a crucial role in Italy’s strategy, facilitating predictive maintenance and improving overall system reliability. From the study conducted by the UfM emerges several key challenges/points of attention associated with digitization in the water sector. These challenges include infrastructure issues, financial constraints, resistance to change, as well as data privacy concerns, the high initial cost of implementation, the need for skilled personnel, and the necessity for standardized frameworks to ensure interoperability between different digital systems.191 Among the others, two main challenges need to be addressed with priority in the water sector.192 On one side, this sector (like the agri-food one) needs for a comprehensive (multilevel) legal (legislative and regulatory) reform193, as funding alone is not sufficient for an effective digital transformation, as shown by the Spain’s experience.194 On the other side, it is possible to identify a need for 189 UfM, Digital Transformation for Water and Sustainable Development, cit., p. 9, 14 ff. 190 UfM, Digital Transformation for Water and Sustainable Development, cit., p. 15. 191 UfM, Digital Transformation for Water and Sustainable Development, cit., p. 9-10, 13. Similar challenges concern the agri-food sector, as seen above. 192 See the recommendations included in the report by UfM, Digital Transformation for Water and Sustainable Development, cit., p. 17 ff. 193 See U. Stein, et al., Digitalisation in the Water Sector, cit., p. 19. See also European Commission, European Water Resilience Strategy, cit., point 3.1, p. 12; G. Napolitano, Acqua e cibo, cit., p. 307. 194 UfM, Digital Transformation for Water and Sustainable Development, cit., p. 10. In such report it is recom- 463 WATER GOVERNANCE AND RIGHT TO FOOD
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