ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the reader to remunicipalization and the debates around public ownership of services. Water remunicipalization refers to the return of water services to public ownership, typically at the municipal level. Providing an overview of the historical trends in water service delivery, from private investments to state water provision and the onset of water privatization, this chapter highlights the growing movement to reclaim public services. This book advances the new work of contemplating what a strong public service might entail, using public participation in Cochabamba’s remunicipalization process as a point of entry. The chapter lays out the purpose of the research and the main guiding questions around how the calls for public participation have been implemented in Cochabamba’s water governance and the implications for equitable and inclusive water services.
