‘Corporate vultures’: how Americans fearing higher water bills are fighting takeovers
"Corporations are trying to privatize dozens of public water utilities around the US, capitalizing on the financial troubles of cities.
The Octoraro reservoir is a lake in south-east Pennsylvania where locals fish, kayak and marvel at bald eagles and owls. It’s a picturesque scene but in the neighbourhoods nearby there are placards that carry warnings.
“No to Big Water”, the signs say, and “Save CWA”.
The signs show the local opposition to a hostile takeover effort by Aqua Water, one of the country’s biggest private water companies, against the public utility Chester Water Authority (CWA), which owns the reservoir and bordering woodland.
The CWA relies on the watershed to provide drinking water to about 200,000 people in Delaware and Chester counties. It’s an award-winning public utility that is financially robust and delivers safe, clean and affordable water. It does not need a bailout.
Campaigners say the battle here, which started in 2017, should be a wake-up call for residents around the US, as privatization often means higher bills.
“This takeover is about putting money over people’s needs – it’s corporate greed,” said Delaware county resident Santo Mazzeo, 42, a high school maths teacher with three children working two jobs to make ends meet.
“Water is the stuff of life, it’s a fundamental human right which should be run by the people for the people, not for profits,” added Mazzeo, who in his spare time delivers the anti-takeover signs to neighbours. . .
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