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