Abstract:
Universal waterworks coverage for urban residents has not yet been achieved across Southeast Asia and will be further constrained as urban populations increase. The importance of ensuring urban water supply is critical, given the Millennium Development Goals, target of halving the number of people without access to safe drinking water by 2010. Public sector failure has led to calls for the private sector to participate in urban supply, fuelling debates between pro and anti-privatization lobbyists. Karen Fisher draws attention to the inherently political nature of urban water supply and demonstrates how this has been used to serve political agendas, with particular reference to Tagbilaran, the Philippines.