The War for Mexico’s Water
The War for Mexico’s Water
Struggling with aging infrastructure, strapped resources, and poor access, privatization is being pitched as the cure to Mexico's water woes. But will it leave people high and dry?
By David Adler
July 31, 2015
EXICO CITY—On March 22, while the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, hundreds of protestors marched down Mexico City’s Avenida de los Insurgentes toward the office of the National Water Commission. Under a smoggy sky, they chanted through loudspeakers, painted posters, and, arriving at the office, scaled the front gates and erected signs. “El agua es nuestra, carajo!” screamed one poster. The water is ours, goddamnit! A more diplomatic sign read: “El H20 no es un negocio.” Water is not a business.
For the past several months, however, that has been a matter of debate.
In late February, Mexico’s ruling coalition proposed a change to the General Water Act that would allow for the privatization of Mexico’s water supply. According to the new legislation, the National Water Commission, known as Conagua for its Spanish name, maintains the right “to grant full or partial concessions to operate, conserve, maintain, rehabilitate, modernize, or expand water infrastructure built by the federal government.” Approved by Mexico’s lower legislative house, the bill was set to pass the Senate until it was waylaid — momentarily — by public outcry. Now returning to the legislature after Mexico’s midterm elections in June, the bill’s fate remains uncertain.
The new legislation aims to correct Mexico’s broken system of public water provision. Close to 5 million Mexicans currently live without access to clean water. The new bill aims to alleviate this deficit by outsourcing water provision to the private sector, which claims it can provide water better, cheaper, and cleaner than the Mexican government.
Mexico’s ruling right-wing parties and its allies in the business sector view the privatization effort as a simple matter of efficiency. “The participation of the private sector is the same as we have seen in all of Mexico’s infrastructure — they construct, finance, and operate,” said Kamel Athié Flores, president of the Commission on Drinking Water and Sanitation, a federal agency under the direction of President Enrique Peña Nieto. “The public investment is not sufficient.”
More:
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/31/the-war-for-privatization-mexicos-water/
