‘Corporate vultures’: how Americans fearing higher water bills are fighting takeovers

The Guardian recently covered the potential sale of the Chester Water Authority (CWA) in an online article published January 25, 2022. In it, they discuss how corporations are trying to privatize dozens of public water utilities around the US, capitalizing on the financial troubles of cities.

Here is a quote from the article, written by Nina Lakhani:

“Private companies mostly target financially distressed local governments and utilities looking for cash injections to clear debts, upgrade infrastructure or fund popular public services without raising taxes. Industry friendly laws means this often comes at a cost for residents: nationwide, one in 10 people currently depend on private water companies, whose bills are on average almost 60% higher than those supplied by public utilities.”