Water is a valuable public asset which should be available to all, not sold to the highest bidder to exploit for profits.
The "Links" Page
This page is devoted to connecting readers to other websites that have useful information about water and sewer utility privatization.
Freshwater Future
Freshwater Future's stated mission is: "Freshwater Future is a catalyst for community action that strengthens policies designed to safeguard the waters of the Great Lakes region."
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It's website is here: (LINK)
It's Facebook page is here: (LINK)
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Disclosure: Our keepwateraffordable website is a sponsored project of Freshwater Future.
Food & Water Watch
Their "Who We Are" statement: "With more than 2 million supporters, Food & Water Watch fights for safe food, clean water, and a livable climate for all of us. We protect people from the corporations and other destructive economic interests that put profit ahead of everything else."
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It's website is here: (LINK)
It's Facebook page is here: (LINK)
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Food & Water Watch has actively supported our efforts to stop willy nilly privatization of water and sewer utilities in Pennsylvania.
Save CWA
Chester Water Authority (CWA) is a municipal water system serving over 44,000 customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Since 2017 it has been the target of what its governing board terms a "uninvited hostile takeover from Aqua Pennsylvania". At $410 million, it is a big deal.
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A central figure in this uninvited takeover is the City of Chester. It has been in financial difficulty since the mid 1990's and was put into a receivership in 2020. It has pension obligations well beyond its capacity to service. The city and Receiver think they might get some or all of the proceeds of a sale of CWA. A morass of lawsuits has resulted.
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There is a CWA website with information about the proposed sale at this (LINK)
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The CWA Facebook page is (LINK)
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Our own summary the the situation is here: (LINK)
N O P E
NOPE = Neighbors Opposing Privatization Efforts.
This is a grass roots organization in the greater Philadelphia area. They have been very successful at stopping some municipal utility sales and educating the public about the issues.
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Their website can be found here (LINK)
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They have several Facebook pages for different communities. They are on the website drop down menus.
Exeter Township
Exeter Township had their sewer system acquired by PA American in late 2019. Since then they have seen some of the largest increases that we have tracked. As a result opposition to both acquisitions and rate increases has been organized.
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They have a Facebook page here: (LINK)
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And a Google page here: (LINK)
Hold For Future Link
Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia is a major independent newspaper in southeastern Pennsylvania. They have published editorials opposing privatization. The links that follow are behind a subscription paywall. They have a policy (at least they used to) that you can access a small number of articles for free (three is what I recall, but that is shaky).
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"As Pa. municipalities sell water systems to for-profit companies, consumers are left paying the price" Published August 18,2022. (LINK)
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"It’s time to repeal the Pa. law that allows the sale of municipal water systems" Published September 18, 1922. (LINK)
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"Court’s reversal of East Whiteland sewer sale is a win for consumers" Published August 17, 2023. (LINK) Pennsylvania's state appeals court Reversed a Public Utilities Commission approval of a sewer privatization sale. This basis was that it did not serve a public benefit.
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The Inquirer has also published three Op-Ed articles we have written:
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"Big water companies are gobbling up public water systems".
Published March 29,2022 (LINK) PDF version here:
Just a week after the above Op-Ed, Robert Powelson published a rebuttal that can be found here (LINK). Mr. Powelson is a former chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission. At the time he published this article he was CEO of NAWC - The National Association of Water Companies. He had gone from being the chief regulator of Big Water to being a leading spokesman and advocate for Big Water.
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"Is water privatization a good idea in Pennsylvania?"
Published September23, 2022 (LINK) PDF version here:
"Four steps to keep water affordable in Pennsylvania"
Published May 24, 2023 (LINK) PDF version here:
Other Op-Ed's We Have Written
"Municipal Sewer And Water Customers: Beware of Big Water!"
Published May 9, 2022 in the Delaware Valley Journal. (LINK)
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A few days after the above article, Robert Powelson (see above, in the Inquirer section) published a piece about how wonderful Big Water is.
"Sale of CWA Good for Consumers, City of Chester"
Published May 20, 2022 in the Delaware Valley Journal. (LINK)
(note: as customers of CWA, we are strongly opposed to its sale. We do not need our water bills to double for no change in service)
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"Towamencin Officials Presented Fishy Numbers to Public to Push Sewer Sale"
Published June 10, 2022 in the Delaware Valley Journal (LINK)
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"Pennsylvania needs to declare a time out on the sale of municipal water and sewer systems"
Published October 18, 2022 in Penn Live (LINK)
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Worthwhile News Articles
"Corporate vultures’: how Americans fearing higher water bills are fighting takeovers"
Published in the Guardian January 25, 2022 by Nina Lakhani (LINK)
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"The War Over Public Water in Pennsylvania"
Published in The Nation August 8, 2022 by Hadas Thier (LINK)
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"Holding Back the Tide of Water Privatization"
Published in The Nation September 22, 2022 by Hadas Thier (LINK)
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"Pa. court reverses PUC decision on East Whiteland sewer sale to Aqua"
Published by WHYY (a PBS organization) on August 4, 2023 by Kenny Cooper (LINK)
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"Sewer rates soar as private companies buy up local water systems"
Published by Stateline on November 7, 2023 by Alex Brown (LINK)
Here is a version of the same article customized to Kentucky (LINK)