Nestlé CEO Says Water Is Food That Should Be Privatized – Not A Human Right [Archive]

Teh One Who Knocks

04-19-2013, 11:58 AM

By Carl Jackers - American Live Wire

Do you believe water is a basic human right? According to Nestlé CEO water is a foodstuff that should be privatized, not a human right. Nestlé CEO Peter Brabeck says that with the global population rising water is not a public right, but a resource that should be managed by businessmen. Please do share your thoughts.

Nestlé CEO Peter Brabeck: “Access to water should not be a public right.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nTqvBhFVdvE

Noraf45

04-19-2013, 12:43 PM

I'm with him on the organic stuff, but I don't think water should be privatized. It falls from the sky, it's under the ground, it covers most of the world, we consist largely of it. Water itself shouldn't have a price tag. I pay a water bill, sure, but I'm paying for the delivery infrastructure of having that water available on demand in my home, and that the water is reasonably clean. If you want to buy and sell water in bottles in stores, that's also fine because people are then paying for water which has been purified to a desired level and/or infused with desirable minerals to taste as well as the convenience of the bottle. But privatizing water as a practice is ridiculous. Saying 1 gallon of water has a flat rate of X is pointless and will just be an excuse for water suppliers to increase prices. Suddenly companies would want to purchase ponds and lakes for the value of the water.

I understand there are bodies of water that are privately owned that you can't just do whatever you want with, but those are typically things like campgrounds, fishing areas, hatcheries for raising fish to sell, etc. and it's owned as property for a specific reason. You might pay a fee to camp out and swim, boat, or fish, and you may not be allowed to do certain activities in certain ones, but the water itself is not being valued at that point.

Everyone does have a right to water. That doesn't mean they can just run into a store and grab a bottle without paying, or that no one should pay a water bill, but if someone comes across some body of water in a public place they should be able to wash up or drink it if they want to. They shouldn't be stopped by some corporation and slapped with a bill for stealing or using their "raw materials." Besides, you can walk into any fast food place and get a cup of water for free.