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  • From: William Genest <genest@pivot.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Investing
  • Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:44:30 -0400

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







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