AbstractThe Arcetri/Bologna H₂O maser group has been monitoring the 1.3-cm water maser emission from a sample of 43 star-forming regions (SFRs) and 22 late-type stars for about 20 years at a sampling rate of 4-5 observations each year, using the 32-m Medicina Radio Telescope (HPBW 1.′9 at 22 GHz). For the late-type stars we observe representative samples of OH/IR-stars, Mira's, semi-regular variables, and supergiants. The SFR-sample spans a large interval in FIR luminosity of the associated Young Stellar Object (YSO), from 20 L_⊙ to 1.5 × 10⁶ L_⊙, and offers a unique data base for the study of the long-term (years) variability of the maser emission in regions of star formation.This presentation concerns only the masers in SFRs. The information obtained from single-dish monitoring is complementary to what is extracted from higher-resolution (VLA and VLBI) observations, and can better explore the velocity domain and the long-term variability therein.We characterize the variability of the sources in various ways and we study how it depends on the luminosity and other properties of the associated YSO and its environment.