selling public water utilities to private companies
The government is slowly selling public water utilities to private companies. The drastic step is because the municipal systems are poorly run with increasing budget problems and deteriorating water systems. This move by the government has left the communities suffering farther due to loss of jobs, increased rates, and poor service delivery. The government has abdicated control of critical public resources to the private sector, and the communities can do nothing about it. The only thing the people can control is in the ballot with the sole aim of electing government officials who will take care of their vital needs. This has since not been achieved.
There is very little or no competition at all in the water market. The only known competition is the one that involves multinationals in the private sector biding to take up contracts from the government. Privatization has since resulted in the monopolization of water supply. The costs of access to water by the ordinary majority are thereby drastically increased. According to Arnold, problems of water supply in the country have gone far beyond those associated with poorly managed municipal systems to the scarcity of water. The number one motive of any private company is to maximize profits. To maximize profits, the private companies would compromise the basic needs and rights of an ordinary citizen by hiking the costs of access to water.
Instead of the government privatizing the water systems, the municipals can go ahead and partner through public partnerships that are more reliable and effective in terms of rates and costs of water access. This move will allow the communities to maintain their control over the water sector as one of the most vital public resources in the country.