Democracy & Civics

Pumped up for Public Water

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The tide may be turning for water privatization.

Water supplies have already fallen out of private hands in developing nations such as Mali, Uruguay and Bolivia — and now the French are following suit.

Paris has pushed the trend forward by announcing that its water will go public for the first time in over a century, starting on Jan. 1, 2010.

The move follows similar measures enacted in over 40 other French communities in the last decade.

Privatized water services in the French capital will end when the city terminates its contract with Suez and Veolia, two of the world’s largest water companies.

At issue are increased prices and decreased service, as well as corrupt business practices that eventually saw the jailing of both corporate executives and government officials in Grenoble’s water district.

Suez was also ordered to repay Grenoble in 1999 for overcharging. In 2002, water there reverted to local control.

Suez and Veolia also run privatized water services in Argentina, Bolivia, Eastern Europe and the Philippines.

–T.J. Johnston/Newsdesk.org

Source:

“Is Water Privatization Trend Ending?”
Inter Press Service, June 30, 2008

3 thoughts on “Pumped up for Public Water”

  1. WATER AND OTHER UTILITIES SUCH AS HEATING AND ELECTRICITY SHOULD BE RUN BY THE GOVERNMENT EITHER LOCAL OR NATIONAL.CORPORATE GREED AND CORRUPTION IS SUFFOCATING THE PUBLIC OF THE HIGH BILLS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN MY HOME TOWN OF PEORIA ,ILLINOIS ARE CUT OFF THESE BASIC SERVICES BECAUSE THESE CITIZENS CANNOT AFFORD THE HIGH COST OF WATER AND UTILITIES.SENIOR CITIZENS ON SOCIAL SECURITY CANNOT SURVIVE WITH THE COST OF LIVING SKYROCKETING WHILE THEIR INCOME STAY LOW.THIS WORLD SITUATION REMINDS ME OF ROME BURNING WHILE NERO PLAYED HIS MUSIC.WHY IS OUR PLANET RUN BY INCOMPETENTS?

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  3. This is a horrible situation when one of the world’s leading nations cannot provide us with basic, clean, drinkable, free water. Tap water is dangerous to drink when there are so many chemicals and other greater problems. My family lives in the small town of Three Rivers, Michigan where the officials are always warning against lead and other problems in the water. At times, the water comes out of the tap brown in color so it is visibly unusable. We have to buy water from these rich corporations who benefit from our basic human need. What can we as a people do to remedy these problems?