No matter what we look like, where we come from or how much money is in our wallets, everyone deserves clean, affordable water. But some multinational corporations and the legislators they’ve paid for want to silence public voices and deny us the freedom to have a say over what happens to water we all depend upon.
Take the multinational water corporation Veolia: From 2012 to 2015, Pittsburgh hired Veolia to manage the city’s water system operations, which sped up the lead crisis. Under Veolia’s management, the city faced overbilling issues, job cuts and, most notably, a dangerous cost-cutting decision to switch corrosion control chemicals without state Department of Environmental Protection approval. During its time in Pittsburgh, the staff responsible for testing water quality was also cut by half. Lead levels spiked. In 2016, tests of the city’s water showed the lead concentration had surpassed federal standards. Yet, even as the water became more unsafe to drink, water bills went up.
Unfortunately, this history hasn’t stopped the National Association of Water Companies from arguing that Pittsburghers should once again put our trust in the private water industry. Here’s why NAWC is wrong: Private water corporations often cut corners to reduce operating costs, negatively impacting water or service quality, or both. It’s laughable to tell people in Pittsburgh that the best way to fix their water system is to privatize it. Following Veolia’s management, the private water corporation walked away with millions of dollars, while the city and residents were left to pick up the pieces. When everyone saw what Veolia did, there was a social movement to prevent water from being privatized again just a few years ago. From community members to the mayor, Pittsburghers agree that our water is not for sale.
Rate increases, even when necessary, often lead to higher water bills. These impacts are particularly felt by low-income communities and communities of color, since struggling systems disproportionately serve these communities. But as a publicly controlled utility, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s rate assistance programs will always be more comprehensive than those private water companies offer. Public control and representation on public boards also allow for more public input and discussion on how best to improve and update customer assistance programs. And, unlike private corporations, public water authorities do not exist for the primary purpose of increasing profits for private equity holders. One hundred percent of all PWSA rate increases are invested back into our water system.
Pittsburgh residents deserve to know the truth about water privatization’s failures in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh residents deserve a public water system that is working in their interests, not in the interest of executives and shareholders worried only about their bottom line. Community control of our water infrastructure is critical to a healthy community and a healthy democracy. We’ve been through this before and we know how it turns out: Private corporations will always put profits over people.
America’s water systems are crumbling because of underinvestment, not because of government ineptitude. The real solution is more public investment. Federal support for water infrastructure has declined 77% in real terms since its peak in 1977. The passage of the proposed federal WATER Act would go a long way toward helping cities like Pittsburgh repair and upgrade water infrastructure, replace dangerous lead pipes and ensure affordable water.
While the private water industry claims to invest in infrastructure or save municipalities money, its interests often conflict with the public good, yielding disastrous results such as higher water rates, failure to repair or expand infrastructure, labor abuses and decreased public control over water systems. Private water companies’ claim that cities can count on private water corporations to make upgrades and improvements to the infrastructure falls flat. Examples from across the country and around the world have shown that the private water industry fails to adequately invest in infrastructure (and when it does, it comes at a huge cost to communities).
We need public solutions, not private giveaways to solve our infrastructure and water quality problems. Our need for safe and healthy drinking water is too important to be left in the hands of corporations. We’ve learned the hard way what happens when private corporations take over our public assets. We need equitable rate structures where everyone pays their fair share and low-income residents are protected from bearing the burden of updating antiquated infrastructure. Water access must be part of our COVID-19 recovery. And we must ensure water is reliable, affordable and public.
Madeline Weiss is an environmental justice organizer for Our Water Campaign. Erika Strassburger is a member of Pittsburgh City Council.
First Published: February 7, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
