Water: Deteriorating Availability, Marauding Privatization and Increasing Price

Water: Deteriorating Availability, Marauding Privatization

and Increasing Price

Petar Gregovic

Abstract

This study examined the deteriorating situation of water regarding decreasing availability, marauding privatization and increasing price in the world. It predicts that in the future, situation will deteriorate by presenting the facts gathered from different sources. It presents the reader with a thesis that the water will be the next most valuable trading good. For now, it is oil, but it concludes based on the mentioned facts, that the water will overtake oil and become that in the near future.  However, people are not aware of the actual situation regarding clean, drinking water and the whole aspect of the problem. The research has shown that while we still have vast resources of water, privatization of water is making it a lot less available for people, and by the year 2030 more than half of the population in this world are going to be living in water-stressed regions. Finally, the reader has been presented with solutions to mentioned problems, and with the fact that they are not being used in the world, rather, governments are using only temporary solutions.

You are walking through forest on a nice sunny day. You can hear and see all the beauty of nature, from the green treetops above you, to fallen yellow and orange leaves and dry branches below you. A lively symphony made up of different sounds, birds, wind; a small stream flowing somewhere off to your right side. You start feeling thirsty, and that water spring is less than a minute’s walk from where you are at the moment. You get to the spring, and drink a few sips of cold, refreshing – and free – water.

Since water is so important to our life, and we could not live without water, how come that water at that spring is still free? For instance, diamonds are expensive, but they are nonessential to our living. One could live without diamonds around his/her neck, but could not live without water. Diamonds are rare, but on the other hand, at least for now, we have large resources of clean water and that is why the water at that spring is still free (Mirhaydari, 2011). Having in mind water is still essentially free at sources and springs, and there are still vast resources of clean, drinkable water, it is not understandable why is the situation constantly deteriorating regarding water availability and increasing price of privatized^[1] water. Why is it that in an increasing number of regions in the world, governments and people are struggling to get access to clean water? Furthermore, Why is the price of privatized1 water rapidly growing throughout the world? And lastly, why are huge companies and corporations trying to privatize water springs and sources in countries across the world not just for selling that water as bottled water but for selling water in general? For instance, from the 19th century and second industrial revolution, oil has been the most valuable and most important trading good. It has been said many times that oil makes the world run. Also, coffee has been the second most traded good for, at least, last hundred years (Global Exchange). Considering the decreasing availability, increasing and marauding privatization, it seems that in the near future,   – water will become the most valuable trading good – overtaking oil and coffee.