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Privatization of water issues
Privatization of water issues
Privatization of water issues
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Other advocates of water privatization argue that private entities, assuming not government subsidies, would be forced to price water at its actual economic value. This would decrease unnecessary uses for water, like cleaning one’s car too often because doing so would become too expensive for many people. There are benefits to pricing finite natural resources relative to their supply levels. In fact, Herman Daly in his book Beyond Growth, suggests such pricing as a response to capitalism’s wanton use of finite materials. However, because water is necessary for life, there are also considerable drawbacks. Privatizing the price of water means that a government would abdicate its ability to provide water to those who cannot afford it. Although …show more content…
In Bolivia, for example, the national “government privatized the water system of Cochabamba, partly in response to pressures from the World Bank to make structural adjustments to its economy” in 1998. The pressure from the World Bank stemmed from the fact that multiple investment banks had invested money in the Cochabamba public water sector and seen little to no improvement. Before privatization, only 60% of the population was connected to the water grid and that percentage only had access to water for four hours a day. The private company, International Water Holding, announced that citizens should anticipate increases in water bills, but that commercial water users would be more affected than poorer individuals. However, some individuals saw their water bill more than double. For those who could not afford a water permit, access was denied. Furthermore, the Bolivian Parliament granted exclusive water use rights to International Water Holding, of “community-based water systems that local communities had built with their own funds.” The price increase and rights transfer of community water invoked a number of violent protests in which nine civilians were killed. The contract was cancelled in 2000 in response to these …show more content…
However, such a program contradicts the nature of a private system. Here arises the fundamental problem with privatizing water utility. A private entity is more responsible for profit to itself than it is quality to its customers. In fact, private water utility companies often forgo efforts which could improve quantity and quality of the water if the problems are long-term or do not prevent the accumulation of profit in the short-term. , An alternative to a private water utility company are “independent, special-purpose water agencies or districts [which] can have technical and financial capacity equal to private corporations,” meaning they function similar to private entities, but are owned publicly.
Another aspect of water privatization is the bottled water industry. The bottled water industry provides an example of how companies act unethically in order to make profit. The Chairman of Nestle, the largest producer of bottled water in the world “Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, believes that ‘access to water is not a public right.’” He beliefs are evident in Nestle’s actions in
...lk about projects such as these two,we must bear in mind that there are relatively great chances for the government to atleast have awareness of the underlying practices and situation. If we use the alternatives, it will incur cost but it will let go of the sacrifices and compromises poverty stricken nations have to pay. On the stakeholders i.e. the general masses it will be beneficial as they will be paid for their work in legal framework and will be provided water products in the market (Me, 2014).
The case of water reform in Chile is an interesting one. First of all, it allows us to think about a situation where regulatory reforms face political decision-making through the outcome of proposed legislation. Secondly, the case doesn’t deal with lack of political commitment, but rather involves a situation where the government now faces an important question of passing a legislation that directly affects their households – the main question is not whether to privatize, but how to regulate what will be privatized. Finally, it shows us the importance of having a credible and independent regulatory framework in order to have effective reforms.
First, let me explain what privatization and commodification of water actually refers to. Privatization is transfer of ownership from a local company to a private economic body. Water privatization gives private entities control over water and its systems. Barlow believes ownership over water is a breach of human rights.
What we have seen in late January has proved that the city of Phoenix needs one more water treatment facility. The tax revenue that will be lost if a water crisis every happen again will pay for the building of the new facility. The water department has known of this problem for years but has chosen not to rectify the hazard. City officials chalked up the high levels of sediment in the water to Mother Nature, but they acknowledge that a series of decisions by water officials could have worsened the problem. (Villa, Fehr-Snyder, 1) The water department knew and Frank Fairbanks knew that maintenance was required on rotating bases, on each facility and chooses to take two offline during the “winter” or “rainy months”.
Many have always questioned if bottled water or tap water is better for themselves and the environment. Bottled water has many conveniences and is needed, or even wanted, by many people in the United States and all over the world. Water bottles is just not a want for some, it is a necessity. This essay will convince you of the reasons why bottled water is superior to tap water. Not only will you find out why it is superior but why it is important to always have bottled water available to everyone.
to increase rapidly, particularly in countries where clean potable tap water is available at very
In the documentary, Blue Gold: World Water Wars, it follows several people and countries world-wide in their fight for fresh water. The film exposes giant corporations as they bully poorer developing countries to privatize their own supply of fresh water. As a result of the privatization, corporations make a hefty profit while the developing countries remain poor. Blue Gold: World Water Wars also highlights the fact that Wall Street investors are going after the desalination process and mass water export schemes. This documentary also shows how people in more developed nations are treating the water with much disregard, and not taking care of our finite supply. We are polluting, damming, and simply wasting our restricted supply of fresh water at an alarming speed. The movie also recognizes that our quick overdevelopment of housing and agriculture puts a large strain on our water supply and it results in desertification throughout the entire earth. The film shows how people in more industrialized nations typically take water for granted, while others in less industrialized nations have to fight for every drop.
The total area of Mexico’s surface is slightly less than 2 million km2 (UNESCO 2006). The population is about 103 million people (Castro and Heller 2009). In the last two decades, as the population of the country has been growing intensively, the demand of water also dramatically increased. According to Armentia and Cisneros, the number of people who don’t have an access to water supply is about 11 million, almost 11% of Mexico’s population (Castro and Heller 2009). But there are far more people who don’t have an access to safe water. Moreover this situation with lack of water is exacerbated by malfunction of sewer systems. But to understand the causes of scarcity of water in Mexico and to evaluate the policy of the government in this sector, it needs to be observed thoroughly.
This would handicap low income residents and independent farmers when trying to pay their water bills. Larger farming monopolies such as Monsanto would be able to afford the higher price, and buy out other farming competition. In addition, larger monopolies do not have the incentive to switch over to water conserving irrigation techniques, leading them to rely on independent less regulated wells in addition to the water the state designates for them. Excessive groundwater pumping could further decrease the water table level, cause more ground level subsidence, saltwater intrusion, increase drought in neighboring areas, increases risk for sinkholes, and cause a deficiency of groundwater available to surrounding farms and communities. If it reached an extreme enough level, they could be investigated for an environmental justice infringement for damages to the environment as well as abusing the shared natural
This is because only a small part of the population, particularly in developing countries, have access to water of acceptable quality. It is estimated that in some countries only 20% of the rural population has water of satisfactory quality. Based on these statistics, it is clear the urgent need for awareness about caring for water use. Almost without realizing it, we are seriously jeopardizing this essential resource, not for us but for our children's children and their generations, aware that in other parts o...
Water is pure and a transparent liquid that is vital for all humans, plants and animals on the planet. In the United States, people have access to clean drinking water and clean sanitation systems, not like in other parts of the world where clean safe drinking water is getting scarce. A lot of people don’t have access to it, and many regions are suffering severe drought. Yet, humans take it for granted, they don’t appreciate that a reliable clean supply of water is essential to human health, economy and agricultural prosperity. Having clean and safe potable water is a right and not a privilege. Some individuals don’t appreciate the advantage of having clean water available at
One main causes of water scarcity is water mismanagement worldwide. Water mismanagement has become a crisis of governance that will impact heavily ...
Water is the most important resource on our planet. The causes of not protecting will be very dire because, water like most things on this planet isn’t endless. We must conserve the drops of precious water we have and protect it, because at the end of the day we can’t afford not to protect it.
"Water Crisis." World Water Council. 7th World Water Council, 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/library/archives/water-crisis/
... build social awareness. Currently, we are not paying for the actual cost of water but costs of water distribution and sewer system (Glennon 225). That’s why water is so cheap. The price of water is not substantial enough to make people care about it.