ABSTRACT
Debates about the human right to water are hotly contested, particularly when it comes to privatization. Supporters of private sector involvement in water services argue that it advances the human right to water through efficiency and lower prices. Opponents argue the exact opposite. The debate could not be more polarized, with little sign of resolution. Could the trend towards remunicipalization of water tip the balance? Hundreds of cities around the world have taken water services back under public management and ownership after years of private sector control, and the pace of remunicipalization appears to be growing. In some cases, efforts to remunicipalize have been done with the explicit aim of advancing the human right to water through decommodification, while in others cases, public water has been commercialized or put under state control for undemocratic reasons. In other words, there is nothing inherently equitable or rights-oriented about ‘public’ water, and each case of remunicipalization must be assessed on its own merits.
