Business seeks no ownership of water, but a role in delivering it
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| Alain Mathys from the water company Ondeo: "We share the view that public-private partnerships are a very good way to renew water infrastructure, to lever new sources of finance and apply more efficient management methods." |
Paris, 10 December 2001 - Business has no desire to own freshwater resources - but does have a role in planning new facilities, building delivery systems and training personnel under new public-private partnerships.
This was how a business representative responded to claims circulating at last week's International Freshwater Conference in Bonn that companies seek to control ownership of water.
The definition of how business sees itself contributing to the supply of clean water to consumers was outlined to reporte
rs by Jim Oatridge, of Severn Trent, one of several major international water and environmental services companies represented at the conference.
Mr Oatridge was a member of the business and industry delegation to the Bonn conference, represented by the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The Severn Trent executive told a news conference that since water was public, the management of water resources and river basins was the domain of governments. "We can have a role in management and operations, we can plan new facilities, we can build the delivery systems, and we can train the people.
"Ownership and comprehensive management should stay with governments. Business simply needs governments to govern - putting legal and regulatory systems in place is crucial to the ability to move forward."
He said that it was because traditional public utilities were failing that the Bonn conference had been called. "That's why we need new partnerships that may include a role for the private sector." The question was not one of public versus private operations, but of efficient delivery of water - whatever the organizational or partnership structure.
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