Privatisation of water and water services is not a panacea to the drinking water supply problems in developing countries.
It has often led to unhappy results in many developing countries. Besides, it should be noted, delivering potable water for citizens is an essential role of the governments, Canada’s Environment Scientist Emeritus C Rajasekhara Murthy said here in Mysore.
“Privatisation of water has questionable net social benefits and is inappropriate for developing countries,” he observed where addressing a workshop on ‘Comparative and Strategic Assessment of Water Sector and Water Technology in Mysore and Hamilton’, at the National Institute of Engineering (NIE) in Mysore.
While this was a key ingredient of good governance, there were issues like simplified institutional framework relating to water supply and management with well-defined responsibilities and transparency of operations and clear specifications on property rights of water with no ambiguity.
He underscored the need to involve communities in major decisions relating to water supply and management.
Capacity building and training too were essential in terms of governing and planning, particularly in developing countries.
Integrated and strategic development planning to ensure infrastructure and water services should be balanced with the population and economic growth.
Adequate provision should be made for protecting not only human health but also ecosystem integrity and health, Murthy said adding these too were part of good governance.
Murthy, who is also Canada’s McMaster University Emeritus Professor, lamented that water was poorly managed in public sector.
Responsibilities for water infrastructure, bulk water supply and supply to end users, and treatment and disposal of waste water were often scattered among several agencies and was not conducive to effective coordination.
“Good governance, efficient water use and adequate infrastructure are vital to providing safe and economically-sustainable water to the urban inhabitants. This will reduce water-related vulnerability in cities,” the scientist said referring to measures required to improve the water supply system and its governance in urban areas.
Referring to the challenges in planning safe and sustainable drinking water for cities, he reiterated that important issues needing consideration were water property rights, management and control of water, institutional arrangements, and the degree of integration of social, economic, ecological, and environmental and infrastructural planning.
