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A brief History of Water Privatization U.S. Public Water Systems
That’s what things were like in the U.S. around the turn of the last century. Many people were dying from waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. Water systems were privately owned, and less than 5 percent of the people in cities like New York had access to safe drinking water. By late in the 19th century, private water systems began to be municipalized in a move to strengthen public health. Public control was backed by a sizable commitment of public revenue. Near universal access to water and sanitation was achieved. Within decades waterborne diseases were all but eliminated. National leaders seem to have forgotten this history. Once a source of pride and prosperity, U.S. public water systems are no longer getting the attention and funding they need. And in recent decades, water privatization by corporations has been presented as a cure-all for the global water crisis.
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The Seven Myths of Water Privatization |
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Today, more than one in six people around the world lack access to enough water. When people don’t have clean water, they use whatever water is available to them—even if it is unsafe.
