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Water and sanitation

Clean water and sanitation – recently recognised by the United Nations as basic human rights – are critical to good health. They help prevent disease. Yet billions of people have no ready access to safe water. It is an essential service that governments must provide to protect their citizens and serve their common good. Read more here

São Paulo to run out of water within two months

06 February 2015
Cantareira. Photo: Mídia NINJA - Creative Commons

If the most realistic predictions prove to be accurate, around 6 million people out of São Paulo's 20 million residents will face drastic water rationing this coming April. For five days out of seven they will have no water at all coming out of their taps.

The eve of de-privatization of water services in Jakarta

19 January 2015
Jakarta water privatisation

PSI, Transnational Institute, Amrta Institute for Water Literacy and Jakarta Water Trade Union have published a series of four fact-sheets that outline how and why water privatisation failed and the potential for a renewed effective public service.

COP20: The public option in green policies

09 December 2014
Windmills - Photo: Pablo LordFerguson (Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

As the UN Climate Change Summit, COP20, in Lima, Peru, draws to an end, PSI highlights the special role of local and national government structures in developing, implementing and monitoring green policies.

Government of Peru tries to silence union leader

02 December 2014
Luis Isarra - FENTAP General Secretary

PSI is urgently calling for letters of protest to be sent to the Peruvian Minister of Labour in support of Luis Isarra (FENTAP General Secretary) whose permanent union leave has been abrogated by the Peruvian Government. This takes place just before COP20 when Luis Isarra is responsible for coordinating Peru's labour movement mobilisation for the summit.

Water remunicipalisation as a global trend

13 November 2014
water fountain

Over the last 15 years, more than 180 cities and communities in 35 countries have taken back control of their water services, new study reveals.

Jakarta Water Negotiations hit impasse because of legal challenge

21 October 2014

The remunicipalisation process for Jakarta water utilities is awaiting the outcome of a court decision wherein a number of local groups have challenged the legitimacy of the original concessions awarded over ten years ago. The outcome could determine whether the city could avoid to pay huge sums to buy out the remaining years of the concession contracts.

Water in Uruguay: new challenges

21 October 2014
Mesa redonda

Overall, a positive assessment, but “there are many challenges ahead”. This was the conclusion reached by the panel of speakers at a round-table discussion entitled “Ten years After Constitutional Reform in Defence of Water”, organised by the National Commission in Defence of Water and Life (CNDAV) on 9 October, at the offices of the union centre, PIT-CNT.