Essential Resources: Water
A. Water Law, Development and Markets in the Western U.S.
- Worksheet is study guide
- Worksheet is study guide
Apr 20 (Tu) Water Law
Apr 27 (Tu) Water Development
Apr 29 (Th) Conflict over The Klamath
- Identify the main constituencies in the Klamath River Basin claiming water rights, and identify the present order of rights for water allocation in the Klamath basin as adjudicated by 1997
- Present a brief historical account to explain why they are in that order
- Since the order of water rights priorities is clear, explain why there is still conflict
- Explain the unresolved scientific questions surrounding suckers in the Upper Klamath, clarifying the evidence brought forth by environmentalists and by farmers
- Explain two unresolved scientific questions around the upstream vs downstream water conflict clarifying the arguments made by environmentalists and by farmers
- Explain what caused the "calamity" for farmers in 2001, and then what caused the "calamity" for fish in 2002, clarifying why/how the Bush administration was able to divert water from the fish to the farmers in 2002.
- Describe how the parties came to peace on the Klamath, clarifying what each side compromised on (or what each side gave up) in the negotiations
May 4 (Tu) Water Market in the West
- Describe 3 ways in which the broad legal/socio-economic/environmental context has changed, putting pressure on farmers to consider offering some of their water through the market
- Identify/explain 3-4 changes in Prior Appropriation Law that facilitate water markets
- Identify/explain 3 ways in which water is “created” to enter the water market
- Describe why urban municipalities are particularly interested in water markets
- Describe 2-3 concerns from farmers’ perspectives and policy responses designed to alleviate them
- Describe 2-3 concerns from local irrig. districts’ perspectives, and policy responses designed to alleviate them
- Describe 2-3 concerns from rural communities’ perspectives, and policy responses designed to alleviate them
- Describe concerns from environmentalists and small municipalities
- Describe 2-3 concerns from large municipalities’ perspectives, and policy responses designed to alleviate them
B. Water Markets in the Developing World
- Met expectations in terms access, service and health impacts
- Caused undo burden on the poor
- Operated in a "free market" environment
- which is easiest for, and meets the needs of, the industry
- which is easiest for, and meets the needs of, the poor
May 6 (Th) Privatization of Water Delivery: The Debate
- Define water as right and need. Contrast the types of water development that Rothfeder and Segerfelt anticipate will emanate from classifying water in these different ways, and explain why.
- Define commodity, public good, private good, and merit good, and explain the justifications and implications of classifying water in these different categories
- Contrast the ‘allocation principles’ and ‘management goals’ of public and private water providers
- Describe 2-3 strengths and weakness of the public provision of water
- Describe 2-3 strengths and weaknesses of the private provision of water
- Clarify whether water is defined as a right or need in the international arena, and why
- Describe how a fully public service can become ‘commercializing’ through financial and managerial ringfencing, and why that might be done
- Define Commercialization, Service Contracts, Management/Lease Contracts; Concessions, BOOT and Full Divestiture. Locate each of these public-private partnerships on a continuum of public/private ownership and control
May 11 (Tu) Early Privatization and the Backlash
- Describe/sketch the morphology of Third World Cities, representing where socio-economic classes reside and explain why
- Explain how the poor get water in their areas
- Highlight 2-3 challenges to bringing modern water infrastructure and services to the urban poor in Third World Cities
- Review 2-3 reasons why the Public Sector has failed to provide adequate water delivery, and 2-3 reasons why the Private Sector is expected to do better
- After 15-20 years of experience with water privatization throughout the world, debate its track record from both points of view that is has been a success and that it has failed. Consider whether privatization has:
- Identify 3-4 ways in which both sides agree that privatization can be done better
- Explain 2-3 reasons why the public sector is being reconsidered
May 13 (Th) Corporatization and the South African Case
- Review failures of the state and 2-3 hopes/promises of privatization in the South African context specifically
- Evaluate the process of privatization as it occurred in South Africa, considering whether or not private enterprises were coddled
- Contrast the two delivery models, pre-payment meters and metering/billing by explaining:
- Argue (with evidence from the 2 cases) that privatization has been a success in South Africa
- Argue (with evidence from the 2 cases) that privatization has been a failure in South Africa
- Describe how water privatization might be improved, referring to 2-3 specific ways in which the state might improve its regulation of the water industry or increase community buy-in/involvement.