Drinking water is a strategic resource in the modern world. The demand for water is increasing with population growth and the needs of economic development, while on the other hand various forms of pollution threaten this resource. The assessment of the state of water management clearly shows that water management in Croatia needs to be improved. Improvement can be achieved through i.e. systematic planning aimed at incrasing quality and management. Numerous changes in consumption, such as increased meat consumption, construction of large houses and buildings, increasing use of small and large appliances, are usually accompanied by increased water consumption for both production and use. There are many arid areas in the world where the population is still searching for drinking water on a daily basis. Croatia, on the other hand, belongs to the group of countries in the world that have an above-average supply of drinking water, and where water problems are not a limiting factor for development. However, this doesn’t mean that we don’t have to worry about the future and act wisely in the management of drinking water resources. Water management can be presented as a cyclical process that begins with water management planning, within which the economic aspect is extremely important. Water management itself is also influenced by many factors and various activities and measures are taken in this regard to ensure sustainable water use.