Privatization of Water Services in the United States An Assessment of Issues and Experience (2002) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 121-127
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From page 121... ...
Over time all water supply and sewerage services, except for 28 private water supply companies, became the responsibility of local governments. In 1973, a revolutionary change in water services management occurred when virtually all 1,500 public water-related services in England and Wales were integrated into 10 regional public water authorities under the 1973 Water Act (Okun, 1977~.
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From page 122... ...
Not all of London's water companies were as assiduous in improving their water supplies; most drew from springs and wells and enjoyed monopolies with little regulation from the city. Complaints about the service, and an increasing appreciation that contamination of the source water was responsible for the spread of disease, led many cities to take over responsibility for water supply.
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From page 123... ...
Not only did this act reduce the number of public bodies responsible for water supply from 187 to 10 water authorities (WAs) (the statutory private water companies were allowed to continue as agents for the water authorities in which they were located)
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From page 124... ...
One reason later given for privatization was the need for capital to replace and build infrastructure. Although responsibility for the safety of drinking water continued to rest with local government health agencies, the water authorities were charged with responsibility for pollution control, creating a
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From page 125... ...
There was also a common feeling that water ought not to be a vehicle for generation of profits. The government proposed a new method of economic regulation, that was a complex mixture of control of price increases, environmental regulation, and control of drinking water quality.
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From page 126... ...
The Conservative government exchequer had made a killing in the sale of its "crown jewels" to the water companies, but none of these funds found their way back to the people or their local governments that had made the initial investments. Much of what was being accomplished could have been done without privatizing the water authorities.
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From page 127... ...
Water Industry. Information Notes 29 (revised May 2000~.
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