Asia-Pacific Water Forum

Privatisation of water
There are two policies which have become controversial. One is privatisation of water – production, distribution and consumption and the associated networks like water works, pipes and pumps, etc, and the second is water tax by the municipalities, instead of privatisation. Both have met political resistance in many Asian cities. Many Asian cities in the developing countries have 30 to 40 percent people living is slums and squatters. The access to water and sanitation is inadequate and women are to be in waiting line to get water from a community or municipal top. The girls’ education is very much affected. These people cannot pay for water.

Examples from the developed countries like United Kingdom do not provide rosy picture for privatisation of water. Private companies got subsidy but did not invest properly or improve infrastructure. The German Utility company purchased Thames Water is 2000 and now they want to sell it. However privatisation of water worked in some countries and there was regulatory control. In Manila despite initial success and promise water companies are introuble. In many other cities in the developing countries water is again by municipality. In many cities of Asia with inadequate access to water, ban on sinking of tubewells due to receding aquifer, people belonging to even upper middle class are to depend on indigenous system and private individual vendors supplying backets of water door to door during summer scarcity months. The Asian Development Bank is however providing small financial loan to small private waters as in Vietnam for supply of a clean and safe drinking water.

It is necessary for the municipalities to take up community wide water supply through private water vendors forming cooperative or with small loan. The question before the Asian Pacific Water summit. Is water a commercial product ? Can this human right can be commercialized or water remains a public service.

| by Unmesh Kirtikar | 09.25 2007 15:21 | url: |