Water, Politics and Money
A Reality Check on Privatization

Authors: Schiffler, Manuel



Discusses the benefits and consequences of privatization of water and sewer systems in nine countries

Includes case examples of public-private partnerships and outright sales of water companies

Covers failed privatization efforts in Bolivia and successful municipal water administration in Uganda and Cambodia

This book reveals all that can potentially happen when a private company takes over a local water supply system, both the good and the bad. Backed by real life stories of water privatization in action, author Manuel Schiffler presents a nuanced picture free of spin or fear mongering.

Inside, readers will find a detailed analysis of the multiple forms of water privatization, from the outright sale of companies to various forms of public-private partnerships. After covering their respective strengths and weaknesses, it then compares them to purely publicly managed water utilities.

The book examines the privatization and the public management of water and sewer utilities in twelve countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Philippines, Cambodia, Egypt, Jordan, Uganda, Bolivia, Argentina and Cuba. Readers will come to understand how and why some utilities failed while others succeeded, including some that substantially increased access, became more efficient and improved service quality even in the poorest countries of the world.

It is natural that a private company taking over a local water supply system causes both fear and worry for consumers. With the aid of solid empirical evidence, this book argues that who manages the system is only half the story. Rather, it is the corporate culture of the utilities and the political culture of where they operate that more often than not determines performance and how well a community is served.

Table of contents (17 chapters)

Introduction

Bolivia: The Cochabamba Water War and Its Aftermath

Cuba: Water Privatization in a Socialist Country

Argentina: A Flagship Privatization and Its Demise

Egypt: Kafka on the Nile

Jordan: Private Plants, Public Utilities

The United Kingdom: A Natural Experiment Between Private and Public Management

France: An Improved Partnership in the Motherland of Multinational Water Companies

Germany: Healthy Municipal Utilities, but with a Quirk

Berlin: Privatized to Fill State Coffers, Remunicipalized at the State’s Expense

Civil Society and the EU Concession Directive: David Beats Goliath, Using a Few Tricks

The United States: Public Water in a Capitalist Country

The Philippines: A Delayed Privatization Success Story in Manila

Uganda: A Public Utility Turnaround, Triggered by Pressure to Privatize

Cambodia: A Public Utility Turnaround, Ending with Privatization

Utility Turnarounds Compared: The Importance of Corporate Culture and Financing

Conclusion: It Is Not About Public or Private