Santos Arteaga, Francisco JavierBuendía Hernández, Asensio AntonioAndré García, Francisco Javier2025-06-202025-06-202025-06-19Francisco Javier Santos-Arteaga, Asensio Buendía, Francisco J. André, A dynamic approach to analyze the evolution of water use efficiency across Spanish regions, Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 389, 2025, 126174, ISSN 0301-4797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126174. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479725021504)0301-479710.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126174https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/121650We propose a dynamic approach to analyze water use efficiency across Spanish regions in the period 2001–2018. To measure efficiency, we implement several specifications of a slacks-based measure Data Envelopment Analysis (SBM-DEA) model considering different intertemporal aspects of the water cycle, ranging from depletion to wastewater treatment and recycling. Accounting for the last two components makes a crucial difference when determining the efficiency of regions. A dynamic Tobit model is applied to identify the main driving forces behind the observed trends in efficiency. We find a very strong autoregressive component, suggesting an important structural dimension. Efficiency is also positively related to competitiveness, while economic growth can have a positive effect though limited to the short run. The main managerial and policy implications for a country subject to strict water consumption limits and depending on wastewater treatment and recycling are analyzed.engjournal articlehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479725021504open access628.1.033Water use efficiencyWastewater treatmentWater recyclingSlacks-based measure data envelopment analysisDynamic TobitCiencias Sociales1207.09 Programación Lineal5304.07 Producción