Cities across the country have found that, despite corporate claims, private ownership of water systems significantly increases the price of water. A close look at data from more than 1,000 U.S. utilities and existing academic research reveal that private water companies are not only no better performing, but are also more expensive than publicly owned utilities.
Food & Water Watch compared average water rates charged by publicly and privately owned utilities in four states — California, Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York. The analysis found that privately owned water utilities charge customers significantly higher water rates than their publicly owned counterparts: anywhere from 13 percent to almost 50 percent more.