California bond allows private companies control of water

[Are_grits_groceries]

Water privatization sneaks into $11.1B water bond in California under a little-noticed provision.

Private companies could make a profit by selling water back to the public under a little-noticed provision in California’s $11.1 billion water bond. In a state where water is an especially precious resource, this provision may become controversial as it goes before voters in 2010.

California Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, introduced the proposal and says it provides the state with flexibility in financing state water projects.

But as California’s population grows, and water becomes scarcer than ever, critics worry that giving control of this resource to private companies is a recipe for disaster.

The bond bill doesn’t specifically mention the possibility that private companies could profit from water storage projects and few lawmakers, water experts and water privatization opponents even noticed the provision’s inclusion. The bond has already been approved by state legislature.

But according to the San Francisco Chronicle, the bond allows for the creation of joint powers authorities who "may include in their membership governmental and nongovernmental partners that are not located within their respective hydrologic regions in financing the surface storage projects."

Those authorities would "own, govern, manage and operate a surface storage project."
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/california-bond-allows-private-companies-control-of-water

Somebody better pay attention and spread the word.

[FreakinDJ]

1. Great - Southern Calif voters will approve it - they need the water

and then years later as their demand keeps increasing the Private Companies will screw them over big time

Heck I can dig a well

the water table is down what - 30 ft here

[bullimiami]

2. of course it will be illegal to drill a well on your property so you cant steal their water.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. Once this type of thing takes hold, it's all about the underlying aquifer

Of course you can never have a well. You probably will also not be allowed to collect rain in barrels for your garden garden, etc. as it's seen as a diversion from draining into the aquifer. Any city, state or town that thinks it's s good idea to privatize the water source has rocks in their head. Google Bolivia, water, Bechtel, etc.

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bolivia/timeline.html

http://www.democracyctr.org/bolivia/investigations/water/

Seeing that California already lived through the gaming of their electrical grid by Enron, I can't believe the citizens are dumb enough to fall for this.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Enron was just the latest version

The history of CA is often about water and power resources.

[FreakinDJ]

10. Southern California will do it regardless

Not exactly "Chalk Full of Well-Informed Voters" down there, they elected Arnold didn't they

The bill gives them 10% more of Northern California's water is all they can think of.

As for being able to drill a well, I can. This property was originally deeded before they invented the new "Property without Mineral Rights" deeds, and the water table is incredibly high here. Heck here you have to be careful where you build to make sure your not in a "Flood Plain"

[Hannah Bell]

4. It can't be said often enough: privatization of *all* public resources *is* the agenda

of the global ruling class.

There's too much money at the top, & too few profitable investment venues; government functions & public resources must be turned into investment venues, & wages driven down to pump up profits.

[AllentownJake]

5. Everytime I read anything about California

I thank God, I live in PA. We are dumb, but we aren't that dumb. We sell our public water to private companies for a profit. If you drink bottled water in NYC or Philadelphia, you are drinking Allentown tap water, filtered a little more.

[marmar]

6. The ultimate goal of installing Herr Schwarzenegger.....

.... The Shock Doctrining of California.

[glitch]

9. Indeed. And he performed. How they must love actors trained in taking direction. nt

[WhiteTara]

8. The Boobengroper is a rightwing pig

who has destroyed a once great and beautiful state. May he rot in hell for eternity.