Water Scarcity: Privatization is Not the Solution Essay

According to the International Water Management Institute environmental research organisation global water stress is increasing, and a third of all people face some sort of water scarcity. Where demand exceeds supply and no effective management operates, there will be conflicts between the various players involved.

Water scarcity is an environmental problem that reaches around the globe. This lack of water is called the World Water Crisis. In the U.S, people are privileged enough to be able to use clean water for many things. However, the U.S is effected by water scarcity as well as countries who are underdeveloped and aren 't as privileged as we are. Only 2.5 percent of Earth 's water is fresh water, of which industrial uses account for 22 percent of available fresh water, domestic use requires only 8 percent, and the rest-over two-thirds of our demand-is used for agriculture. Water is said to be a right for all living things, however, many underdeveloped countries in the world, such as Ghana or Rajasthan, are victims of corporations who come

“Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit” were written by Vandana Shiva, depicting the water issues currently in India and how its shortage may cause a war in the future. Her book is really informative and descriptive to present what water practice in comparison to how they have been used. Shiva also expresses how those problems, which collaborated to methods and process throughout the world in general, specifically in India, as well as on an international level. She uses different involved projects, scientist research and statistical report, which changed over year to support her arguments. She debates about privatization, analyzes the complex of growing industry and agriculture of water, and environment due to community management and ecology that water continues to be used with the unsustainable method. Throughout Water Wars book, Shiva lists various evidences to assist her claims and she still believes that water is a gift from nature so the human has no right to destroy it.

The world revolves around water. Without it, organisms would cease to exist. With that being said, humans depend on it on a daily basis. In the documentary “Thirst”, it covers the controversy of water privatization in Bolivia, India, and Stockton. All of these regions are opposed to water privatization by the powerful corporations that operate in the area. The people living in these places believe that water privatization negatively affects their control of their water, because it a human right. On the other hand, the multinational corporations believe that water is an economic resource that should be bought and sold, for profit. I believe that water should not have the ability to be privatized.

Groundwater is the main source of drinkable water in the world. Groundwater represents about 90% of the world’s readily available freshwater resource, and some 1.5 billion people depend upon groundwater for their drinking water (Vital Water Graphics 1). Although we are surrounded by vast bodies of water, only 2.5% of the commodity is fresh water. The environmental disruption of water privatization has caused a scarcity of water around the world, especially in third world countries. Agricultural water use accounts for about 75% of total global consumption - mainly through crop irrigation - while industrial use accounts for about 20%, and the remaining 5% is used for domestic purposes (Vital water Graphics 3). Many countries depend on groundwater for drinking and agricultural growth, but with the increase of water extraction from large companies, such as coca cola, these communities will become hindered in the grand scheme of life. Water in some unfortunate countries has always been scarce, yet big companies continue to thrive on the fact that they can use deception in order to maintain that countries natural resource. By definition, a commodity is sold to the highest bidder, not the customer with the most compelling moral claim (The New Oil 3). In our society today, companies are so consumed with greed that they show no moral regard for others. Companies completely disregard people in order to get a hold of water to create their precious

I will argue that water shortages are nothing new, and that throughout the history of our common human civilization various solutions were implemented to overcome water scarcities and enhance water security. However, I will submit that such solutions were always short-lived a temporary relief because the social and cultural consequences of each solution led to a gradual, cumulative increase in the demand for water.

In places, like sub-Saharan Africa, time lost gathering water and suffering from water-borne diseases is limiting people's true potential. Also, causing them to miss important economic and educational opportunities open to men and boys; while people merely try to survive. But it doesn't have to be like this. The problem of water scarcity is a rising one. As more people put ever-increasing requests on limited supplies, the cost and effort to build or even maintain entry to water will increase. “The pertinence of ethics to water utilization and management is clear in a general sense. It is important for everyone involved in water resource management and in public health to have a well-reasoned understanding of the moral values and obligations

Because of scarcity, various economic decisions must be made to allocate resources efficiently (Scarcity). Water may be a renewable resource, but there is only a limited amount to satisfy an infinite demand. Only 3% of water on earth is fresh water, with only 1% readily available. The rest lies underground in aquifers or trapped in glaciers (The World's Water). Due to the limited supply and growing demand, several countries such as Brazil, Iran, and India are experiencing a shortage (Reig, Maddocks, & Gassert , 2013). The law of supply and demand states that as something becomes scarce, its value explodes. Water prices in the United States in over 30 states have experienced a 6% increase due to a limited supply (Walton,

Of all the water on earth, 97% of it is unusable and undrinkable, which leaves us with a measly 3% of freshwater. But about 2% of the water is polluted or unsafe for us to drink, which allows us to use only 1% of the Earths water. These are astonishing facts, because it seems like we always have water whenever we need it, but we are just the lucky ones. People in India and Bolivia don’t always get water when they want to, and when they do, it is usually unsafe water packed with amoeba, e-coli, and many different diseases. A problem that we have regarding this issue is whether the government should allow private companies to take over the water system. Private companies will bring safer and cleaner water to people,

Water is one of the most basic human needs. Many nations and traditions, in fact, consider water a human right. If water rights are handed over to entities whose declared purpose is to maximize profits rather than to serve the public good, hundreds of millions — perhaps billions — of people will be elbowed out of their access to water. Multinational corporations are quick to argue that market forces would bring more efficiency to water systems. But the bottom line is that water resources by their very public nature require public oversight to ensure that people, not profits, come

The water crises revolving around privatization of municipalities, and bottled water needs to be addressed in a more comprehensive approach. A more integrated solution for water should account for an adequate supply of clean water and that water can be equitably accessed worldwide. In addition, the impacts of climate on the quality and quantity of fresh water needs to be factored in. There is uncertainty in what this might look like and who would be the best manager of this. As of right now it is almost certain the water policies of today will cause geopolitical conflict in the near future. To clarify, water wars have already begun, but more conflict on a larger scale is likely to happen if policies do not change. Therefore it is urgent that water policies adjust into a more ethical framework. An important question to ponder is, “Will social change concerning water use come through technological innovation or through cultural and value change, or some combination?” This question is imperative in how one should be constructing their viewpoint for creating difference in water policy and where one should go from here.

Bolivian citizens revolted into a violent protest that ended the water contract. Similar situations are still happening around the world today. The construction that goes into digging and reaching fresh water supplies is expensive, so China has become open to foreign investments and has raised water rates to more than the public can afford to pay for, despite water being a necessity (Interladi). If not protesting, citizens simply skip buying water or cut down on how much of it they buy immensely because they cannot afford the high rates (Runyan). My point is that charging consumers more than they can afford for a necessity does not guarantee profit. Private companies and investors assume the consumers have to buy a necessity like water, so they immorally take advantage and force some families to choose between water and other necessities. After paying more than they can for so long, consumers will simply stop buying and many will even revolt. So far, private companies ' main targets have been developing and poor countries since they could use the financial support to gain funds and improve their infrastructures and communities. According to Erica Gies, "Developing countries are often pushed into water privatization deals against their will because they need loans from international development agencies." (Gies). Countries with already developed infrastructures like the United

Water privatization is private sector provision of water services and sanitation. It is most often credited for turning a public good into a private one. Nearly always plastic water bottles come to mind for many when they think of the topic. This is rightfully so, as due to water privatization, we have companies like Dasani producing these commodities. Water privatization is intended to help aid the depleting freshwater supply yet there is a standing debate on if it actually aids the cause.

Water is needed for everything, and all human beings and animals need it in order to live. Privatizing water is just another way of stealing. Water cannot be privatized and owned by private corporations whose only concern is to increase their profits.

In the last three-four decades, global economic institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have pushed for privatization of water services in most developing nations in line with their neoliberal economic philosophies (Coleman 4). Typically, these policies entail transfer of property rights to large multinational companies (MNCs) where water as a resource is transformed from a public resource to privately owned property. In most developing countries such as Bolivia, lower and middle class citizens suffer due to economic conditions imposed and have often risen to voice their concerns through mass protests.