Tensions Rise in Chile’s Water Crisis
Protesters took to the streets of Santiago throughout September to demand changes to the city’s privatized water system. The private water system, a remnant of the reforms of the dictatorial Pinochet regime, has left thousands without water for days as rising prices continue to threaten the city’s poorest residents. The privatization of the water system is remarkably unpopular, with 74 percent of Chileans believing that the state should nationalize the distribution of water throughout the country. Activists seek to enshrine water as a human right within the Chilean constitution and push for the nationalization of water systems.
The protests highlight the uncompetitive and artificially inflated prices of water, as well as the poor and unreliable service of the private water companies.Specifically, activists oppose Endesa, an Italian water company that controls about 90 percent of Chile’s water supply. Endesa’s monopoly on water prices throughout Chile means that the poorest citizens often have to contend with inflated prices for a basic necessity.
As one of the most at-risk countries for water scarcity in the coming years, Chile faces a particular threat at the heart of the protests. Going forward, Chile is expected to move from experiencing medium-level water stress to extremely high-range water stress, largely driven by global climate change and differences in patterns of rain distribution.
Environmental warnings about the viability of Chilean water systems become more drastic when factoring in Chile’s history of challenges with this issue. Chile has experienced water crises before, such as when nearly four million Chileans were left without access to clean drinking water during floods that hit the country earlier this year.
As Chile looks toward the future, with water scarcity looming and private companies failing to meet consumer needs, it becomes increasingly clear that something must be done to ensure the country’s vulnerable citizens have access to a vital human resource.