This book reveals all that can potentially happen when a private company takes over a local
water supply system both the good and the bad. Backed by real life stories of water
privatization in action author Manuel Schiffler presents a nuanced picture free of spin or
fear mongering. Inside readers will find a detailed analysis of the multiple forms of water
privatization from the outright sale of companies to various forms of public-private
partnerships. After covering their respective strengths and weaknesses it then compares them
to purely publicly managed water utilities. The book examines the privatization and the public
management of water and sewer utilities in twelve countries: the United States the United
Kingdom France Germany the Philippines Cambodia Egypt Jordan Uganda Bolivia Argentina
and Cuba. Readers will come to understand how and why some utilities failed while others
succeeded including some that substantially increased access became more efficient and
improved service quality even in the poorest countries of the world. It is natural that a
private company taking over a local water supply system causes both fear and worry for
consumers. With the aid of solid empirical evidence this book argues that who manages the
system is only half the story. Rather it is the corporate culture of the utilities and the
political culture of where they operate that more often than not determines performance and how
well a community is served.
