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 PSI in Water
PSI unions have been resisting the
privatisation of water, which has been imposed on their countries by a
number of international organisations. Water services are by their
nature a monopoly service, and they must remain under public ownership
and management. The fact that a number of countries are unable to
provide water services to all of their citizens does not mean that
privatisation is the best solution. PSI advocates a systematic, global
strengthening of public water utilities, with appropriate mechanisms,
including citizen and worker participation in decision
making.
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| International Campaign Activities |
South Africa: Court rules water meters unconstitutional
30 April 2008 - The Johannesburg High Court has ruled that prepaid water meters are unconstitutional and infringe the rights of users.
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Launch of the Aqua Publica Europea network
On 18 March, the Water Pavilion in Paris will host the launch of the Aqua Publica Europea network, the European association for public water management. The network brings together European public water and sanitation operators in order to promote public water management at a European level and beyond.
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Water, Women, Workers: sources of life
The campaign message "Women and trade unions call for safe, affordable and efficient water for all" is accompanied by a focus for 2008 on climate change and sustainable development. Please inform us of any activities you are organising for this campaign, which runs from 8 to 22 March 2008.
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Biwater to Pay $8 Million in Tanzania Water Privatization Case
Washington, DC Just days after Biwater's international subsidiary Cascal filed to sell its stock on Wall Street, an international arbitration panel ruled against the company in a notorious water privatization fiasco. The panel ordered the company pay the Tanzanian water authority Dawasa nearly $8 million (USD), enough to provide improved water to more 53,000 people in Dar es Salaam.
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Oversight group would be part of deprivatization
STOCKTON - A city panel Thursday endorsed a plan for the transfer of Stockton's water and sewer utilities from private to municipal control, promising in the transition's oversight to involve activists who sued the city to undo its privatization deal.
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French public water operators 60% cheaper than private
For the second consecutive year, a French consumer group has published research that shows a huge gap in the cost of private and public water.
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Unions agree on priorities for energy and water policy
Energy and Water Unions from Latin America met in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 28-30 October and agreed on a list of priority actions for the region.
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Press Statement: Denouncing the Seoul Metropolitan City Government's Water Privatization Plan
On August 10, Seoul Metropolitan City government announced its plan to turn Seoul Metropolitan City Waterworks into a public corporation by 2012, as well as consign 19 other administrative and public services to private management.
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Working together to meet MDGs on water
PSI has called on unions and management to work together to help developing countries increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
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Water cooperation agreements in Argentina and Peru
Unions in Latin America are reacting to the failure and bankruptcy of the privatisation model. In the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina and of Huancayo in Peru, the trade unions of the water and sanitation workers have convinced management and local authorities to conduct a public-public partnership between the public utilities and the two unions.
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Publications and Reports |
Water as a public service
This report, written by David Hall and Emanuele Lobina from the PSIRU, shows how the international community can support the governments, public insititutions, citizens and workers of developing countries in extending and improving water and sanitation services.
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Pipe dreams
On the occasion of World Water Day on 22 March, PSI has published a report in collaboration with the World Development Movement and PSIRU. Pipe dreams: the failure of the private sector to invest in water services in developing countries presents the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) for water, and considers whether they will be fulfilled. It reviews actual investment in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and East Asia and includes case studies and pertinent financial information.
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Water in Public Hands
Many organisations encourage developing countries to privatise water through some form of public-private partnership or private sector participation. The alternative of a public sector water undertaking is ignored, although public sector water undertakings are the providers of water and sanitation services for the great majority of the population in developed countries.
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Making water privatisation illegal - new laws in Netherlands and Uruguay
This PSIRU report looks the steps Uruguay and the Netherlands are taking to protect against the risks of water privatisation, and the context in international law.
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Public Solutions for Private Problems? - The Shortfall in Water Investment
How the water corporations are adjusting to the threats to their profits, including new support from the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union
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The Water Multinationals - Financial and Other Problems
This paper presents an overview of the multinational corporations in water, with a focus on their methods of operation, including corporate collusion, corruption and manipulation of public processes.
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