World Water Day: Private Sector Still Eyeing to Own Every Drop

[rodeodance]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0322-06.htm
Published on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 by the Inter-Press Service

World Water Day: Private Sector Still Eyeing to Own Every Drop

Selling water rights to private institutions and then having people buy them back again is an issue that keeps rearing its ugly head at every World Water Day, which falls on Mar. 22
by Anil Netto


PENANG, MALAYSIA -- Selling water rights to private institutions and then having people buy them back again is an issue that keeps rearing its ugly head at every World Water Day, which falls on Mar. 22.

Goaded by international financial institutions and corporate interests, regional governments are pressing ahead with plans for more private participation in water services. And yet all across Asia, water privatization schemes are failing to deliver clean and safe drinking water to communities, despite forcing consumers to pay for a basic human right.

''If you look for a water privatization arrangement that works ... I cannot think of any,'' Manila-based Mary Ann Manahan, a researcher with Focus on the Global South, told IPS in a telephone interview.

In contrast, the sterling performance of some major publicly managed water utilities in Asia has demolished the argument that private sector participation is the only way to improve efficiency.
.......

[Stephanie]

1. Enron was in this business

Maybe still are - Azurix, I think? It's such an outrage.

[scarletlib]

2. no one should have to pay a for profit company for the

privilege of drinking water. some things we all must have: water, air, food. so are these companies going to let people who can't afford water just die? It's wrong and people everywhere are going to have to fight against this.

[Wilms]

3. .

[Lindacooks]

4. More of these machines!!

http://www.shelf-talk.com/oasiswater.html

[Wilms]

5. .

[MaineDem]

6. Poland Spring...aka Nestle...is sinking wells in Maine

There aren't many rules in place to stop them from sucking water from small town aquifers. People see Poland Spring as this nice comfy Maine company but they neglect to see that it's actually Nestle's - one of the, if not THE, largest food corporations in the world.

It's causing concern in many towns but they promise jobs in bottling plants (yet to be built, of course.)