[WATERFORALLCA] August Currents

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Mon, 29 Aug 2005 20:22:35 -0400

" John Gibler " <jgibler

[WATERFORALLCA] August Currents

 

 

 

CURRENTS: Public Citizen's Water for All Campaign August 2005

 

Funding the future of public water

 

The systems that deliver safe drinking water to and wastewater from our

homes and businesses are reaching a critical state of disrepair. Aging

pipes, growing populations, increased use of water for industry and

agriculture and requirements to protect public health and the environment

are among factors straining local governments' water and wastewater

budgets from coast to coast. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in

its Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis,

concluded that the needs of water and wastewater infrastructure

systems are

far outstripping the fund being spent to upgrade and maintain those

systems. Despite public support, in four of the last five fiscal

years, the

Bush administration has proposed cutting the budget for water and

wastewater repairs and upgrades. To solve this growing problem, Public

Citizen, along with a coalition of groups including the National

Association

of Clean Water Agencies, the Public Sector Labor Management Committee,

and the Rural Commuity Assistance Program, are pushing for the

establishment of a federal Clean Water Trust fund. The concept is

similar to

the congressionally established trust fund that builds and maintains the

nation's interstate highways, and could be financed by dedicated

revenue sources and used to improve drinking water and sewage

infrastructure

across the United States. The bill is due to be introduced in

mid-September. Stay tuned for updates. To learn how U.S. water systems

are

funded, see our report at:

 

http://www.citizen.org/documents/driedup.pdf.

 

CORRECTION (Aug. 17, 2005): We incorrectly listed the Water and

Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association as being part of the Water

Infrastructure Network (WIN), which is the coalition supporting the trust

fund. This group opposes the concept of a federal trust fund. American

Water Works Association is a member of the coalition but is not

participating in the Trust Fund initiative. Additionally, the Working for

America Institute should have been listed as the Public Sector Labor

Management Committee. We apologize for these errors. For a listing of WIN

members see the following website:

 

http://win-water.org/win_members/members.html.

 

Pennsylvania residents challenge local council to take water

privatization off the table

 

The small town of Emmaus, Penn., took on a David and Goliath fight this

month. On July 6, the Emmaus borough council voted to authorize its

Water Committee to work with a consultant to draft an agreement of sale

for the town's water and wastewater system. The money from the sale would

go into lowering taxes as a quick fix, using the public investments as

a high-interest credit card. In Emmaus, water rates are currently at

$1.29 for 1000 gallons, compared to $8 per 1000 gallons in Pennsylvania

communities under private management. While local residents are not

opposed to reasonable increases, they came out strongly against the

council's decision. Over 300 residents attended a public hearing on

Aug. 8,

which had to be moved to an outdoor location in the middle of the pouring

rain to make space for the crowd. More than 40 residents testified -

all speaking out against the plans and calling on the council to rescind

its contract with attorney Michael Klein of LeBoeuf Lamb (Harrisburg).

LeBoeuf Lamb is one of the largest law firms in the country

representing utilities and corporations. Even as the residents

demanded that the

proposed contract be rescinded, the majority of the seven council

members were non-committal. But it was clear what the residents'

preference

was. Now, Emmaus residents are gearing up for a long fight. The majority

of Main Street Emmaus stores already have their windows decorated with

locally-designed posters reading: Save our water for future generations

- Stop the Corporate Water Grab!. If the borough council doesn't take

water privatization off the table prior to the November elections, it

will likely become a key election theme. For updates and more

information, visit Public Citizen's Emmaus page:

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/Water/us/municipal/emmaus/

 

and Emmaus for Locally Owned Water (EFLOW)

 

http://www.ourwaterlv.org/.

 

UPDATE: Suez and Bolivian government keep civil society in the dark

 

Following weeks of citizen protest in El Alto earlier this year, the

government agreed to terminate its water contract with transnational

Suez. Now the government appears to be wavering on that promise by

proposing a new mixed company where Suez will retain shares. Secret

negotiations between the government and Suez continue, but civil society

organizations have lost patience. Civil society group FEJUVE

(Federation of

El Alto Neighborhoods) announced on Aug. 8 that they will begin two

forms of civil disobedience. First, they will organize a campaign of " no

payment " of water bills in El Alto and La Paz. Second, they will begin

the construction of a new, independent water system using the model of

citizen participation in each neighborhood.

 

UPDATE: Suez will leave, but government plans re-privatization

 

The sanitary workers unions in Santa Fe, Argentina, called a 48-hour

work stoppage on July 25 to protest the sale, by Suez, of its shares to

an Argentine private company, Emgasud. They fear the situation will go

from bad (with Suez) to worse (with the sale to Emgasud). Emgasud, a

natural gas company, has no experience in running a water utility.

Governor Jorge Obeid, feeling the pressure, now claims that there are

other

private companies beside Emgasud interested in buying out Suez.

Meanwhile, consumer groups, environmentalists, trade unions and others

continue their demands to return the water services to public hands.

 

California water bill to resurface

 

Assembly Bill 1245, which in effect would turn the state into a broker

in the water market, violating its responsibility as a public steward

of water, might resurface in the California State Senate in August (See

Currents May 2005 for background on the bill). The bill's author, State

Assemblymember Lois Wolk (D-Davis) pulled the bill from its scheduled

Senate committee hearing last June and tucked it into a trailer bill in

the budget process where it could slip through without further public

scrutiny. Fortunately, Gov. Schwarzenegger threw out the trailer bill.

Now it seems the bill's author will request a rule waiver to bring the

bill back from the dead and re-introduce it in the Senate. The bill

would extend the Environmental Water Account (EWA), a water marketing

shell

game that uses taxpayer funds to pay businesses to comply with

endangered species law until 2009. Not only is the program a bad deal for

taxpayers, it hasn't worked for the fish. Since the program began in

2000,

the populations of endangered fish species targeted by the program have

fallen to record lows. For more information on the EWA, read our letter

on line here: http://www.citizen.org/documents/PubCitOpposeAB1245.pdf.

 

If you are a California resident, register your opposition to the bill

by calling the California Senate Committee on Natural Resources and

Water at (916) 651-4116.

 

Legislative UPDATE: New Senate bill would give more public funds to

private infrastructure development

 

The Water Infrastructure Financing Act (S1400) currently being

sponsored by Sen. Chafee (R-R.I.), Sen. Clinton (D-N.Y.), Sen. Inhofe

(R-Okla.)

and Sen. Jeffords (I-Vt.) proposes additional funds for water

infrastructure. However, the bill includes language which calls on

states to

make it a priority, within the management of State Revolving Funds, to

give additional credit to water utilities that take steps to

'restructure'

public water utilities. Or in layman's terms, spend funds researching

privatization and public-private partnerships. Furthermore, the bill

also broadens language defining eligible water utilities. Where currently

only publicly-owned wastewater utilities have access to State Revolving

Funds, the bill would open public funds to private utilities and

corporations. Read Water for All's statement: " Public Funds for Corporate

Wealth: The Water Infrastructure Financing Act is a Loophole for

Corporate

Access to Public Water Funds " online here:

 

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/Water/congress/articles.cfm?ID=13732

 

NEW issue of Defend the Global Commons is now available:

 

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/Water/new/defend/

 

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