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Water issues
Introduction
The Global Water Crisis refers to the insufficiency of available water resources that can be able to meet the demands for water use in the world. It is a situation whereby the available portable water which is not polluted in a particular place is less as compared to the demands in that particular area. It involves different concepts such as water shortage, water stress and water deficit. The supply of water continues to decrease as the demand goes up. About 1 billion people in the world today particularly in developing countries are not able to access water that is clean and safe for drinking. The global water crisis is a severe issue yet some people do not take it seriously. Some people take clean water for granted, and they waste it or even end up paying a lot of money just to drink it from small plastic bottles. Wherever people are they require water for survival; therefore, it forms the basis for life. However, there are still people today who spend so much time looking for clean water (Weber 216). People often can not access clean water because of they are unable to afford systems that they can use to convey and as well as treat water. These people often live in regions whereby there is a physical scarcity of water.
The global water crisis is caused by different factors such as population growth. A growth in population means that there is an increased demand for water and at the same time the water resources are deteriorating. Another cause of the global water crisis is climate change that could lead to longer periods of drought hence lack of enough water for people. Climate change has also led to a reduced flow of rivers and streams, receding glaciers and shrinking of lakes. Human migration also causes global water crisis because it will lead to increased competition between the water users and hence making the available water insufficient. There has also been over drafting and excessive use of ground water that has lead to the ground water resources getting depleted (Jackson and Steven 774). The overuse of water coupled with pollution of the water resources is also harming the biodiversity. Though the total water supply has not been used up completely, most of it is salted, polluted or unsuitable for industry, drinking and agriculture. It can lead to scarcity of water and hence compound the global water crisis. There have also been some regional conflicts and fights over the available water resources that have resulted to warfare (Barlow 138).
In most countries, water resources are often maintained and owned by public organizations like local governments. However, there are instances where there is the transfer of these public resources to private companies referred to as privatization. Water privatization can be loosely defined as the control or maintenance of water resources and water systems by private organizations. For instance, a company might work together with the local municipality in building and maintenance of the wastewater facility or a water treatment plant. A controversial example might be where a private company gets water from a public resource and bottle in with the aim of making a profit (Shiva 614). Water is an important public resource, and it has been under the maintenance of the public sector for a very long time. The concept of water privatization is bound to bring about a lot of controversies. Those who advocate water privatization argue that it results to an improvement in the efficiency of water and sanitation services. They also argue that it has brought about increased investment in the sector hence expanding water access. The critics of water privatization argue that it has led to an increase in tariff and has turned the water from a public good to a private good. Others also argue that water privatization is not in line with making sure that people enjoy the human right of water.
Thesis
The privatization of water might be immoral to some extent, but it also might be necessary so as to prevent human beings from causing any more natural disasters through the excessive water consumption. This paper will look at historical evidence of water overuse where people are given unlimited access to water. It will also give an economic explanation of how the privatization of water can assist in controlling human water consumption. It will also highlight water privatization and human rights. The pros and cons of water privatization will also be highlighted. Finally, it will look at reasons why water privatization occurs.
Humans overusing water and incurring natural disasters
People have always been given unlimited access to water over time. The way people have been using freshwater resources especially for agriculture leaves a lot to be desired. There are areas where these resources are overused such that the use of water exceeds their rate of renewable supply and hence cannot be continued indefinitely. There are also areas where the wasteful overuse has deprived the users in some areas hence leading to loss of jobs and fall in agricultural production. A conspicuous effect of water overuse is the drying up of large rivers such as the Shebelli, the Colorado and the HuagHe before they get to the sea. There are also some rivers that have dried up due to overuse.
Misuse of water takes place where clean water has been abstracted and taken to water systems in a state that is not stable. For instance, water that has been used for irrigation is often contaminated with pesticides, salts and herbicides. Urban centers and industries return water that is contaminated to the underground and surface sources.
Water privatization and control of human water consumption
Water privatization ensures that private companies streamline the water and sanitation services. It implies that the sector has become more efficient, and there is an improvement in quality. With the water supply in their control, they can be able to regulate how water is supplied to people. They will provide water ensuring that they are controlling the amount of water they are making available for people. It controls the human water consumption because the private companies will release enough water for people to use and hence avoid any waste. Therefore, water privatization helps in controlling of human water consumption because the private companies are in charge of the water that is released to people.
Water privatization and natural human rights to water
People have the right to water to satisfy their basic need for both personal and domestic use which is under the protection of the international human rights law. When the right is incorporated in the national legal frameworks, it can be articulated to the other water rights that are found in the wider water law body. The human right to water is acknowledged in the international law through different international documents which include international human rights treaties and declarations. The United Nations Committee on Economic, social and cultural rights clearly defined the Human right to water. The recognition of the right of humans to safe drinking water and sanitation in 2002 by the United Nations created awareness of the existing global water and sanitation crisis (Rodriguez 107).
The human right to water gives the government the responsibility of ensuring that people enjoy water that is safe, sufficient, accessible and affordable without any form of discrimination whatsoever. Governments are also supposed to take appropriate steps to make sure that there is no contamination in the water supply. They should also strive to ensure that there is no distinction in terms of accessing water amongst the citizens.
Human rights are an obligation between the state and individuals, but the state responsibility for offering water and sanitation services do not necessarily mean that the services have to be offered by the state. Water privatization has been taken to be against the human right to water and sanitation. It is taken as that because it usually coincides with an increase in prices that highlights the issue of water affordability.
Morality and immorality of water privatization
Water privatization can be seen as something both moral and immoral. The morality of water privatization revolves around the fact that with privatization water and sanitation services will be provided efficiently to everyone. The immorality of water privatization involves the motives of private companies. Private companies are concerned with profit making hence water and sanitation services might end up being more costly (Rodriguez 108).
Pros and cons of water privatization
The impact of water privatization is varied with opponents and proponents of water privatization each trying to defend their stand. The advantages of water privatization include its impact on access of water. The privatization of water supply can lead to the expansion of these services especially in low-income areas. Privatization will lead to water reaching more people and in a more efficient way. Water privatization is also efficient when it comes to operation. Private companies make a strong contribution to the financing of water and sanitation services through improvement in efficiency. It enables the utilities to finance investments internally instead of depending on debts. Water privatization also creates competition in the water and sanitation service industry. The competition ensures that the services are improved because there is no monopoly in the industry. Water privatization is also a good way of developing strong water resources in a quick way. Private companies have the capacity of increasing efficiency, improving quality and sustaining operations over a long period (Klotter 210).
The disadvantages of water privatization include the fact that private companies are only concerned in making profits and hence they end up ignoring the environmental as well as the long-term costs that come with private water practices. They concentrate too much on making money hence neglect the potential for efficiency in water use and improvement in conservation. It also reduces public accountability and can adversely affect the equity and quality of the service. Private companies are also mainly concerned with the bottom line and hence they just focus on short-term benefits. Water is considered to be an essential ingredient in life and hence allowing private companies to control water would be a disaster (Louli 14).
Government and private owners
There are various reasons as to why government hand-over water resources to private owners. A government might hand over water resources to private companies in order to increase the efficiency and also improve the quality of the service. It can also be done in order to reduce the fiscal burden of controlling water and sanitation services from the government. It is also done in order to expand access of water and sanitation services to areas where the government might fail to reach due to financial constraints (Rodriguez 115).
Governments are more reliable and trustworthy as compared to private owners. Private owners operate with the motive of making profits. On the other hand, government provides services to the public without the aim of making any profit. They carry out their operations and services with the public good in mind and hence are reliable. They can also be trusted since they care for the public and hence anything they do is centered in ensuring that the public is comfortable.
Conclusion
Water privatization may to some extent be immoral, but it may be necessary so as to prevent humans from causing any further disasters through excessive water consumption. With water privatization, there is control, and hence human water consumption is easily controlled through privatization. Those who lack access to clean water care less on who delivers it but whether they have access to water or not. The availability of water is an important thing and not who provides the water. Water privatization will ensure that the use of water is controlled and hence making water available for consumption.
Works cited
Weber, Karl. Last Call at the Oasis: The Global Water Crisis and Where We Go from Here. New York: Public Affairs, 2012. Print.
Arrojo, Pedro, Gerarda Walsh, and Spain Barcelona. Global Water Crisis: Values and Rights at Stake. Barcelona: Cristianisme I Justícia Booklets, 2010. Print.
Barlow, Maude. Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water. New York: New :, 2008. Print.
Shiva, Vandana. Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit. Cambridge, MA: South End, 2002. Print.
Spulber, Nicolas, and Asghar Sabbaghi. Economics of Water Resources: From Regulation to Privatization. Boston: Kluwer Academic, 1994. Print.
Louli, Catherine. “Water at Risk of Privatization.” Canadian Dimension 1 May 2000. Print.
Klotter, Jule. “Water Privatization. (Shorts).” Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients 1 Jan. 2003. Print.
Rodriguez, Raul. “The Debate on Privatization of Water Utilities: A Commentary.” International Journal of Water Resources Development (2009): 107-12. Print.
Draper, Stephen E. “Limits To Water Privatization.” Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management (2010): 493. Print.
Oelkers, E. H., J. G. Hering, and C. Zhu. “Water: Is There a Global Crisis?” Elements (2007): 157-62. Print.
Jackson, Steven J. “Writing the Global Water Crisis.” Technology and Culture (2009): 773-78. Print.
