Future of Public Water Governance

<p>The privatization of water supply and wastewater systems together with institutional restructuring of governance – through decentralization and the penetration of global firms in local and regional markets – have been promoted as solutions to increase economic efficiency and achieve universal water supply and sanitation coverage. Yet a significant share of service provision and water resources development remains the responsibility of public authorities. The chapters in this book – with case evidence from Argentina Chile France the USA and other countries – address critical questions that dominate the international agenda on public versus private utilities service provision regulations and resource development. This book presents varied perspectives – largely complementary but at times contrasting – on public and private governance of water. Public authority in general is being reasserted over service provision while resource development and investments in infrastructure continue as a mix of public and private initiatives. But more important increased oversight and regulation of market-based initiatives that until recently were touted as panaceas for water supply and sanitation are increasingly being reconsidered on the basis of social equity environmental and public health concerns.</p><p>This book was based on the special issue of <em>Water International</em>.</p>