Twenty years ago, the residents of Cochabamba, Bolivia took a stand against water privatization. Their actions matter as much today as they did then.
Lack of access to clean water claims one million lives every year and almost a quarter of people globally lack clean water access. Water is a human right that all people deserve to have access to, not just people born into wealthy families. The current water management system on a global scale is not working. And now the world is facing a water crisis, half of the global population could be living in water scarce areas by 2025.
In 1999, Bolivia privatized Cochabamba’s water, in the hopes that it would support economic growth. Privatization promotes universal water access by allowing governments with limited budgets to partner with wealthier companies to provide essential services at a lower cost— in theory.
Map of Bolivia with Cochabamba in red
After the Bolivian government auctioned off the water of the Cochabamba region, the price of water began to increase dramatically. Bechtel, an American owned company, won the rights to privatize the water for 40 years with a 15% minimum return on investment. The government was required to privatize water under the International Monetary Fund loan that Bolivia had gotten to stabilize the economy. While the economy was failing and 70% of the population was in poverty, the water bills for the newly privatized water increased by 60% over a few months. That is what started the Water War of Cochabamba.
Citizens protested for months, refusing to pay up to a quarter of their monthly income for water that had once been cheap. Over the early spring of 2000, the government responded by declaring a state of siege. Riot police injured hundreds of protesters, blinded at least two using tear gas and combative tactics, and arrested hundreds of protesters.
What finally ended the Water War was the death of a 17-year-old student. On an April afternoon, Víctor Hugo Daza was leaving his radio station job. As he made his way home he was suddenly surrounded by protectors, who were being followed by soldiers. As Víctor tried to escape, a soldier shot him in the face. Víctor’s death was caught on camera, provoking outrage in an already frustrated community.
Within days the Bolivian government canceled the water privatization contract and reinstated the original prices. By terminating the water privatization contract, families in Cochabamba saved over $3.4 million in water charges in 2001.
Before Bolivia privatized water, the country relied heavily on the concept of usos y costumbres (uses and customs). Usos y costumbres allows the people to develop mutually-agreed upon arrangements for water sharing based on need, not profits. The model, originally from Andean principles of reciprocity and redistribution, empowers local community members to make decisions on water, creating a sense of ownership over water systems.
Bolivia is not alone in replacing such traditional water management systems with “modern” practices, including modern technology, large-scale infrastructure, and privatization. That has meant replacing usos y costumbres with profit maximization and replicability.
The Water War protesters chanted “water is life.” Water management systems are key to providing this human right. Instead of declaring one management system as the best for all, there must be more of an emphasis on what is being provided: a human right.