Tax collection, human resources, financial advice, contracting and purchasing, lotteries, and more
Privatization by Sector
Administration and Finance
Defense
Military personnel, equipment, security at US facilities overseas, and support services
Education and School Services
Higher education, K-12 education, school busing, school and university food services
Health and Human Services
Hospitals, clinics, mental health services, social services and welfare programs, eligibility screening, call centers, and more
Information technology
IT services and management, telecommunications, websites and databases
Municipal Services
Trash collection, groundskeeping, libraries, recreation facilities, street cleaning and maintenance
Prisons, Detention and Public Safety
Policing, firefighting, emergency and disaster services, prisons, prison food and medical services
Recreational Resources and Parks
Recreation areas, wilderness areas, parks, museums, entertainment facilities, zoos
Transportation Infrastructure
Airports, trains, road construction and maintenance, toll roads, parking meters and garages, ports
![Water and Sewer](http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/taxonomy_index_thumbnail/category_pictures/water.jpg "• Water treatment and delivery • Wastewater treatment and sewer systemsThe battle for public vs. private control of water is raging internationally and at every level down to the smallest town. Scarcity of fresh water is a growing issue -- some call water “the oil of the 21st century” -- and multinational corporations are striving to control the treatment and distribution of water in small towns, big cities and even developing countries.At the local level in the US, many communities are struggling financially to maintain and modernize public water systems, so they can be lured into selling the systems to private companies. The result, however, often is worse service at a higher cost. In city after city, residents have seen their water rates skyrocket while facing flooding or water contamination caused by neglected maintenance, diminished customer service, and other problems. The nonprofit consumer organization Food & Water Watch has found that, across the US, private utilities charge the typical household 33% more for water and 63% more for sewer services than public utilities.A few examples of the results of water privatization, compiled by Food & Water Watch:• Stockton, CA: Prices soared.• Los Angeles County, CA: Corruption convictions, lost public accountability.• Pekin, IL: Rates tripled.• Indianapolis, IN: 60 sewage overflows a year, water shortages, accusations of corruption.• Atlanta, GA: Costs soared, fire hydrants failed, faucets spewed dirty water, drinking water standards violated.• Tom's River, NJ: Radium in drinking water.• Cranston, RI: Pollutants in drinking water.For information about the major water corporations, visit the Center for Public Integrity's "Water Barons" database.Recent reports of interest:Money Down the Drain: How Private Control of Water Wastes Public Resources Food and Water Watch, 2009Water Privatization Trends in the United States: Human Rights, National Security, and Public Stewardship Craig Anthony Arnold, University of Louisville Law School, 2009Mortgaging Milwaukee's Future: Why Leasing the Water System Is a Bad Deal for Consumers Food and Water Watch, 2009For additional reports, please see the research section on the side bar or visit our research library.")
Water and Sewer
Water treatment and delivery, wastewater treatment
