Manuel Schiffler – författare

Groundwater is being depleted on a large scale in many arid and semi-arid parts of the world. The author asks whether it should be avoided at any price? or if it is desirable in certain circumstances, by undertaking an economic analysis and considering the political and hydrological aspects of water management.

Groundwater is being depleted on a large scale in many arid and semi-arid parts of the world. The author asks whether it should be avoided at any price? or if it is desirable in certain circumstances, by undertaking an economic analysis and considering the political and hydrological aspects of water management.

This book reveals all that can potentially happen when a private company takes over a local water supply system, both the good and the bad. Backed by real life stories of water privatization in action, author Manuel Schiffler presents a nuanced picture free of spin or fear mongering.Inside, readers will find a detailed analysis of the multiple forms of water privatization, from the outright sale of companies to various forms of public-private partnerships. After covering their respective strengths and weaknesses, it then compares them to purely publicly managed water utilities.The book examines the privatization and the public management of water and sewer utilities in twelve countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Philippines, Cambodia, Egypt, Jordan, Uganda, Bolivia, Argentina and Cuba. Readers will come to understand how and why some utilities failed while others succeeded, including some that substantially increased access, became more efficient and improved service quality even in the poorest countries of the world.It is natural that a private company taking over a local water supply system causes both fear and worry for consumers. With the aid of solid empirical evidence, this book argues that who manages the system is only half the story. Rather, it is the corporate culture of the utilities and the political culture of where they operate that more often than not determines performance and how well a community is served.

This book reveals all that can potentially happen when a private company takes over a local water supply system, both the good and the bad. Backed by real life stories of water privatization in action, author Manuel Schiffler presents a nuanced picture free of spin or fear mongering.Inside, readers will find a detailed analysis of the multiple forms of water privatization, from the outright sale of companies to various forms of public-private partnerships. After covering their respective strengths and weaknesses, it then compares them to purely publicly managed water utilities.The book examines the privatization and the public management of water and sewer utilities in twelve countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Philippines, Cambodia, Egypt, Jordan, Uganda, Bolivia, Argentina and Cuba. Readers will come to understand how and why some utilities failed while others succeeded, including some that substantially increased access, became more efficient and improved service quality even in the poorest countries of the world.It is natural that a private company taking over a local water supply system causes both fear and worry for consumers. With the aid of solid empirical evidence, this book argues that who manages the system is only half the story. Rather, it is the corporate culture of the utilities and the political culture of where they operate that more often than not determines performance and how well a community is served.

The book deals with the potential conflicts over shared rivers in the Middle East, and with approaches towards cooperation regarding the Euphrates and Tigris, the Jordan and the Nile Rivers. Far from echoing the warnings about imminent water wars, the book highlights the potential for water savings and for cooperation in many fields inside and outside the water sector. Such creative approaches may foster interdependence, build trust, and create the incentives and conditions for an equitable sharing of international water resources in the Middle East. The text of the International Water Convention is also included.