Water privatization

Water privatization is the transfer of water services or infrastructure from public ownership to private operators. It can involve service contracts, leases, concessions, or outright asset sales.

Water concession: A contract granting a private operator responsibility for specified services or infrastructure for a fixed period. Concessions give operators long-term duties without necessarily transferring public ownership.
Municipalization: The transfer of an enterprise or service into municipal ownership or control. Municipalization reverses the move toward private provision.
Water affordability: The ability of households to pay for water and sanitation without sacrificing other basic needs. Changes in tariffs can make private provision more or less affordable.
Cochabamba Water War: The 2000 protests in Cochabamba, Bolivia, against a private water concession and sharp increases in water charges. The conflict became a prominent case of resistance to privatized water services.
Water lease contract: An arrangement in which a private operator runs public water assets and bears specified operating responsibilities. Leases separate daily operations from ownership of water infrastructure.
Remunicipalization: The return of a previously privatized service to public ownership or operation. Cities have used it to reclaim water services from private operators.
Right to water: The human right to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use. Privatization raises questions about how commercial obligations coexist with universal access.
Buenos Aires water concession: A 1993 concession that transferred water and sanitation services in Buenos Aires to a private-led consortium. Its later termination illustrates the instability that can affect long-term water contracts.
Public-private partnership: A contractual arrangement in which public authorities and private firms share responsibilities, risks, or resources. Water privatization is often implemented through partnerships rather than asset sales.
Public ownership: Ownership of assets by government or another public body. Water infrastructure can remain publicly owned even when private firms operate it.

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