From the Guardian: Water wars • United States. In bankrupt Detroit back in June the city authorities decided to cut off supply to 200,000 homes who had not or could not afford to pay water bills. Since water charges were introduced a decade ago bills have soared by 120%. The UN condemned the cutting off of the water supply to these people as a “violation of the human right to water and other international human rights”. • Bolivia. The average price of water quadrupled after it was privatised, leading to civil unrest and the eruption of “water wars” in the city of Cochabamba. • Uruguay. The sell-off of water and subsequent rising prices led in 2004 to the government outlawing the privatisation of this public utility. • France. The citizens of Paris voted to reject plans to privatise water and took the utility back into public ownership.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 21:12:46 +0000
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