GATS, ‘privatization’ and institutional development for urban water provision

The goal of ensuring good enough water and sanitation, particularly for the urban poor in lower-income countries, is considered in relation to the initial wave of public private partnerships and the development of the GATS. Some benefits of private sector involvement are discussed whilst recognizing that, for many, international private sector involvement was an unwelcome and invalid attempt at a development short-cut. With no commitments of the water sector to the GATS, economic regulation, left behind from the privatization wave, is seen as an important driver for institutional development to ensure service to all, but only in the context of significantly enhanced ‘capacity building’ which facilitates the delivery of a ‘societally-owned’ customer oriented water service.