| It is hard to believe, living as I do in Ireland, but | | | | private sector might escape essential public |
| we live in a world fast running short of fresh | | | | control. |
| water, and a debate now rages: should private | | | | "Privatization has the potential to grow |
| companies be free to control and exploit "blue | | | | enormously because of the desperate need for |
| gold"? | | | | water in the developing world, but water is too |
| After all they're allowed to exploit other available | | | | important to be left in purely private hands," said |
| natural resources like black gold, or oil, gas, | | | | Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute in Berkeley, |
| diamonds, platinum, even fellow human beings. | | | | Calif. |
| It raises the simple question: Is water a human | | | | A report at the weekend from the Asia-Pacific |
| right or a commodity? | | | | Water Summit informed us that the planet faced |
| The water supply to 230 million people around the | | | | a water crisis that was especially troubling for |
| globe, from U.S. cities like Atlanta to urban centers | | | | Asia. Poor management of current water |
| across the Third World, is controlled by just two | | | | resources was condemned, but the report made |
| French companies. And both Suez and Vivendi | | | | a stark warning, stating; |
| expect double-digit annual growth in their water | | | | 'Water scarcity threatens economic and social |
| business, and each already has contracts that add | | | | gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict'. |
| up to more than $10 billion a year. Puerto Rico | | | | And guess who's investing billions in water |
| just hired Suez to distribute its water. | | | | projects? The banks....because that's where |
| RWE, a German energy conglomerate, is buying | | | | massive future profits lie, even at the cost of |
| small water companies to challenge the French | | | | misery and disease to fellow human beings. |
| companies. Hundreds of other private operators | | | | It is not enough that they have the western |
| hold concessions to pump, treat, and distribute | | | | world enslaved through our greed for consumer |
| water. | | | | items and endless credit, they have enslaved the |
| Although companies are granted rights to market | | | | rest of the world through the demand for basic |
| water - not ownership of the water itself - | | | | human needs such as food, shelter and water. |
| experts worry that an inevitable expansion of the | | | | |