permaculture

[William Genest <genest@pivot.net>]

I'm so glad we're on this thread of water privatization  -
Obviously the notion of privatizing a public "right" is loathsome -  
But the story doesn't end there -  We are not simply talking of  
providing drinking water to individuals or the bottling of of a  
commodity but delivering water as an infrastructure to ever growing  
cities and as I said, who can afford the revamping of dilapitated  
water infrastuctures but corporations? What politician would dare  
propose that taxpayers foot the bill for a project of such magnitude ?
The proponents of privatizing make the argument that it is not just a  
question of water but of DELIVERING the water - this requires  
infrastructure - Pipes, pumps, purification, energy.... And while I  
love and support rainwater catchment , the reality is that in an  
urban context, there is the need for centralized water delivery -  
According to the EPA something like a mere 3% of American municipal  
water passes muster in terms of "purity" - In my city, Montreal, the  
pipes are so old and corroded that some 40% of water is seeping away !
Then there is the argument that in privatizing and charging, water  
use will need to be reconsidered - think of it as a kind of eco tax -  
if all of a sudden water isn't free, people will be less  wasteful -
Finally, I think it is misleading to place the onus of responsibility  
ofr water conservation on individuals - only 10% of water is used  
residentially - the rest is industry and agriculture....

>
Best Regards,

 William Genest

 - Founder  Green Mountain Permaculture Institute of Vermont
Solutions, Sustenance, Sustainability
www.greenmountainpermaculture.com

- Creator  "Regeneration - The Art of Sustainable Living"
From "Something-Must-be-Done" to Something we can do !
www.regenerationshow.com

- Ecological Coordinator
Club St.Paul Ecological Golf Course

- Vice-President  Green Party of Quebec "pour nous et nos enfants"
www.pvq.qc.ca

- National Spokesperson Green Party of Canada
"The Future is Now ! "
www.greenparty.ca