Corporations Are Privatizing Tap Water. You're Paying the Price.

Private corporations are buying up public water and sewer systems. Then people's bills skyrocket. In Pennsylvania communities are fighting back - and rejecting the privatization of water.
-----
More Perfect Union is a nonprofit media organization with a mission to build power for working people. Learn more here: perfectunion.us/
Follow us on Twitter: / moreperfectus
Instagram: / perfectunion
Facebook: / moreperfunion
Tiktok: / moreperfectunion

[@amzarnacht6710]

Water and electricity should *NEVER* be in corporate hands.

[@tag4789]

America is being stripped bare. I bet the hand-picked CEOs will get millions per year salaries.

[@hersheylima5482]

Yeah & we need to take the internet too

[@UnyonRing]

Electricity would be nearly impossible for the US government to provide on their own. It would have to be done on a federal level due to transmission lines crossing multiple regions, and can cost billions of dollars. Realistically the federal government could never accomplish this. Source: I’m an engineer in this sector

[@Seticzech]

@@UnyonRing Yeah, you're right, socialistic minds can't check for facts and reality.

[@stingcool9455]

@@UnyonRing stop looking at the federal government for solutions. That is why we are in this problem today. Localities can handle their own. You say the issue is crossing state lines, well don't. Find a state that handles its own grid. Laugh all you want that Texas had an issue during a storm but they handle their own grid.

[@barbiedahl]

Investor owned utilities should be ILLEGAL.

[@stephenmiller2337]

Indeed. All utilities should be publicly owned.

[@kaasmeester5903]

As a staunch believer in capitalism and the free market, I agree. Unless they actually operate in a functional free market with meaningful competition, which is almost never the case.

[@N9Breaker]

But you LOVE CAPITALISM

[@lena-mariaglouis-charles7036]

​@@N9Breaker ...and with Your comment, You're just showing the world how arrogant, ignorant and utterly clueless You are... Well done!

[@TheModdedwarfare3]

​@@N9Breakercapalism 😡

[@alexandercatinella9100]

A Native American proverb predicted this. "Only when the last tree has fallen, the last river been poisoned and the last fish caught, will man realize he cannot eat money."

[@SavageFreddy33]

They'll give us synthetic meat before they ever let themselves realize they've done something abominable.

[@cyndlehick9777]

@@SavageFreddy33keep your guns people

[@macjoseph2375]

​@SavageFreddy33 it's already happened with lab meat 😢

[@fett_420]

​@@SavageFreddy33Not in Florida.

[@deohere7647]

Utilities should NOT be commodities.

[@cameronweston1762]

And the townspeople don’t get the right to vote on this purchase? Wtf

[@AdmiralBison]

That's a reason why it was so clandestine and hush hush. Politicians selling out towns to the 1% shareholders is nothing new, but there needs to be more awareness of this so people will be more informed when come elections. Since it was so hush hush I'm of the belief the local politicians new the ramifications and we're probably bribed.

[@rzq100]

This is the problem with Republics. We farm out our political decision making to corrupt officials who only care about benefiting themselves.

[@jaghatarkebab2020]

That's kind of what they do when they elect their representative officials. Though, in a functioning democracy, those officials *should* realise that such a specific issue like this is not something were elected for determining, and therefore it *should* be put up for vote.

[@JaleM]

Well, that’s the thing, voters do get to vote on the people that make the decisions on their behalf. This is why usually politicians won’t make long lasting improvements that are difficult to swallow in the moment, unless it benefits them personally

[@Detrumpificator4377]

They get to elect representatives who are supposed to represent them but when those representatives represent the 1%, not the townspeople this is what happens and worse. There was a country in history that privatized more than any other country in the world at that time. Care to guess what country that was?

[@MemoirsofaBasketcase]

It’s like watching a dystopia unfold in real-time and no one is bothering to stop it.

[@greg6500]

Decades of deregulation, Underfunded enforcement , corrupt campaign contributions and bastards on every level who will do anything for a little money and you wind up with a country that doesnt serve or protect the people at all.

[@drewmorrison]

Funny how 20-30 years ago, everyone was worried about communist dystopia similar to China but worse. Turns out we’re heading towards a capitalist dystopia that’s basically neofeudalism.

[@edsmith6504]

Not enough people know it's happening.

[@TheRealVenom448]

​@edsmith6504 Oh, we all know it is happening. We are all just too comfortable, complacent, and distracted with synthetic issues.

[@user-uq4gj1fo2u]

@@edsmith6504radical left for inflation

[@guygrdnr]

How the hell can they sell something that doesn’t belong to them? It’s for the citizens

[@Jenjenn1111]

I am getting so sick of these corporations and their greed…it is just inhumane. So sick of it!!!

[@kienhwengtai8113]

"Privatise the profits, socialise the losses" in action

[@aceous99]

ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[@Blackatchaproduction]

Capitalism

[@Atheos-1]

​@@Blackatchaproduction Yep, working exactly as it's supposed to, not as the propaganda we're fed says.

[@nychris2258]

@@Blackatchaproduction Corporate welfare. The only welfare Republicans always love.

[@MyName-tb9oz]

More people should pay attention to this. It's what corporations do. But people don't really seem to want to know. Maybe because they mostly work for the giant corporations and don't want to lose their soft pointless jobs? Maybe because it would require them to take some responsibility for the consequences of their own actions? Nah... That _couldn't_ possibly be it...

[@yautl1]

It's wild to me that there are still so many people who haven't figured out that corporations _absolutely never_ have your best interests in mind.

[@CoryRayGordonMusic]

Replace the word corporations with governments.

[@Boris80b]

Nope... Corps do not

[@artemis3120]

​@@CoryRayGordonMusic As the citizens, we have a responsibility and duty to keep our government reigned in. With corporations calling the shots, they have government (and the monopoly of violence) on their side. We need to take back our government.

[@Lespion306]

No one but you has your best interest in mind.

[@Boris80b]

It's unfortunately a little more complicated than citing platitudes

[@user181]

Control the water, control the people.

[@birdlady2725]

Same with food - which was the big issue with mon santo/Bayer - buying the rights to heirloom seeds etc. Then charging people tax who grow veggies from these seeds... So Wrong on So many levels!

[@SavageFreddy33]

Bro, they're already in control, quit foolin' yourself.

[@Lifeis2stressful]

They own you

[@improvisedsurvival5967]

Can’t control what falls from the sky

[@imabebebebe2496]

@@improvisedsurvival5967 someone can

[@janetcohen9190]

''Most of the great problems we face are caused by politicians, bureaucrats, financiers, elites, bankers, pharma, MIC, big-agri, big-bus, msm, and kindred.....; creating solutions to problems they created in the first place." - Walter E. Williams

[@Nwakaego_]

Underrated comment.💯💯💯

[@Brian-uy2tj]

Some products and services should NOT be for profit. Utilities, healthcare, education, and a few others.

[@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr]

capitalism demands everything that can be commoditized be commoditized

[@Brian-uy2tj]

@@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr

[@Skumm93]

@@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr That's why you have safeguards against it, true capitalism is cannabilistic, you need regulated market systems that force companies to bend the knee and get back in their place.

[@thec9424]

​@@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehrCapitalism also means no bailouts for mega corporations or filing for bankruptcy 11 times, but here we are.

[@nazgill43]

@@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehrCapitalism inevitably results in corperate greed that costs the consumers more as time passes. Either capitalism needs to be heavily regulated, or replaced with socialism.

[@AnonymousMusing]

Why are local governments letting corporations buy water. 😡

[@greg6500]

Greed polluted brains?

[@HPkobold]

Because the local government ain’t making much money off of water since water is meant to be cheap, then companies step in then buy water for what seems like a pretty penny, then butcher the prices for the customers in order to make a profit. Truly America at its finest

[@franktarant3947]

Because they get a backdoor deal, enough money for everyone on the city council to retire quite comfortably. Not long after the deal is done they all move far away, leaving the city to pay the price. They don't even have to pay everyone off, just the simple majority. Drink up.

[@greg6500]

They get paid fat sacks of cash

[@amzarnacht6710]

Because it lines their pockets. How much of that 30mil do you imagine ended up in political pockets from the state house down to the local level? Probably about 90%.

[@IamBojan]

Imagine working in government and thinking selling your citizens water supply is a good idea. I'm not mad at the company, I'm mad at the elected officials that allowed this to happen. This is criminal.

[@Eaode]

no no i am definitely also mad at the company lmao the officials are stupidly making a devil's bargain. The corpos are The Devil in this equation

[@kpage592]

All of them are bad.

[@djangosouthwest6043]

​@@Eaode right this guy probably works for the company that's going to do this I'm glad you called him out Im proud of you 👏🏾

[@HaveAGreatDay54]

I was a dual certified water and wastewater operator in two states for more than a decade. I am here to tell you that, if your water system has been purchased by a privately owned company, do not drink that water. They are not purchasing the company with the hopes to provide safe drinking water. Profit is their only concern. Water and wastewater systems are expensive to operate. The very first thing that a private company does when they purchase a system is give it a facelift. All of the fresh paint is put there to mask the fact that they cut the annual maintenance budget in half. I have lived this scenario twice before I decided to exit the profession for good. Once the system falls so far out of maintenance that it needs an overhaul, they sell the system to an even worse company that funds the overhaul and raises the price of the service to you. It's disgusting. The water quality that they produce is not safe for consumption and the wastewater that they control is polluting your environment due to low maintenance. We need to stop putting our environment in the hands of private 'end stage capitalist' companies.

[@EpicMiniMeatwad]

Finally, my water can be consulted by a consultant consultant who consulted the consultant's consultant.

[@mathisnotforthefaintofheart]

Sounds like the freight trains in the US😵‍💫

[@deemelody2396]

Don't the private water companies have to test the water to the same standards as the public ones?

[@HaveAGreatDay54]

@@deemelody2396 yes but they handle 100 percent of the sampling in house. The licensed operator (that’s what I was) is in charge of the sampling and testing. The operator is required to keep logs as well. They are threatened with their jobs if the samples fail so they never fail. Even when they should.

[@mathisnotforthefaintofheart]

@@deemelody2396 Well, bottles water isn't held to the same standard as tap water. Something to think about

[@taranjk1]

omfg this is hilarious as a UK citizen, we sold our water off under thatcher and we saw the same effect. No shit! water is an inherent monopoly and shouldn't be sold.

[@aceous99]

it's like this little known board game called Monopoly!

[@pedrova8058]

Thanks to the dictatorship in Chile (and the Reagan/Thatcher school of thought) we have the same here, and they aren't even national companies: Anglian Water (UK) is here (through a local company), with some Spanish company. Only in small rural towns the water is managed by neighborhood cooperatives

[@ChickpeatheTortie]

You forgot to mention the fact that most of our water companies are also owned by 'foreign corporations'

[@MyName-tb9oz]

@@pedrova8058, the people in the US really don't seem to grasp that exactly the same things happening all over the rest of the world are going to happen to them, too so they don't care. Mostly the damn boomers who don't care about anything except their retirement accounts and never cared about the things that didn't happen in their own neighborhoods.

[@mpinline1]

Public utilities CANNOT be for profit, they are not free market commodities or services. The end consumer DOES NOT have a choice of two or more options for utilities, therefore making public utilities private for profit enterprises is in fact a racket and should be illegal.

[@amzarnacht6710]

We wish. When it comes to greed there are no limitations.

[@s_t_r_a_y_e_d]

and people will call you a communist for wanting non-profit essentials

[@justthinking526]

I'd say the same about for profit " healthcare".

[@amzarnacht6710]

@@justthinking526 Interesting path of destruction, that. Look up KFC vs. Arbys... and how that lead to the destruction of US healthcare.

[@user-hx2wx7mk8n]

For decades, they were regulated monopolies, and things worked very well. (Just like most things in America used to work very well).

[@chrissharkey9644]

This is exactly why we don’t want the privatization of public entities! What’s next fire,police and private mail?

[@SuzanneWho]

Re mail: that’s what is going to happen under DeJoy. He owns a company that would gobble up USPS.

[@TheGhostFart]

considering police aren't allowed to do their jobs/are actively punished for doing their job in certain areas that might actually not be as bad of an idea as you think

[@aperson5310]

Police gonna pull us over because we didn’t look at them right and give us a 5 million dollar fine. But if you have rewards maybe 100k off. Maybe give out loans with unrealistic interest rates with garbage policies.

[@Goombario37]

Why is selling public water systems to corporations even legal in the first place??? I assumed that was illegal until now, how do we even know they're properly treating the water if they're not public or state-owned???

[@cutback443]

this is ABSOLUTELY INSANE to me that THIS IS EVEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. I really do hate it here... the greed and evil is much too palpable.

[@earthsystem]

My dad was born in Oklahoma 1935, he said, "a man has a right to live. He has a right to have a place to sleep and food to eat." It is our God-given right to have a little property, and buy our meals, and enough to drink. These free resources provided by @earthsystem MUST NOT not be a Capitalist Investment!!!! AMERICANS OWN AMERICA. This is OUR land.

[@greg6500]

They have special schools to teach people how to be this evil

[@fidgettyspinner3028]

@@greg6500 shhh. Wharton grads will hear you.

[@SEIKAVX]

once upon a time there was a story called blah blah blah and in that story there was a statement: "they must be removed from power by any means necessary. we the people need to rise up and do what's necessary, not what's legal. we will have to use force to remove them from power, and whatever else. their laws are designed to protect them, not us. it is time to rise up and start using force against these narcissists who hurt us then punish us for how we react. it's our time to make them hurt, to make them pay for what they have done to us." and in that story, stuff was made apparent, and so on.

[@Seticzech]

@@greg6500 You mean schools like economics? 🤣

[@Andre-qo5ek]

commodification of EVERYTHING is the mindset that has to be changed here. human rights need to be protected.

[@enemyofthesheeple]

Okay. Who's doing the protecting of said rights? Because it isn't the gubment.

[@Andre-qo5ek]

@@enemyofthesheeple gubment is useless without people of progressive, as in progress towards egalitarianism and cooperation, mindset pulling the levers. the gubment has people who believe in the commodification of everything at the levers. we need rights protected on all levels. individuals, unions, politicians, business people, community boards. all these groups, and more, need the mindset of protecting PEOPLE, not the interest of commodification and exponential growth. all hands on deck. a good starting document to consider alignment with would be the Declaration of Human Rights put out by the UN. people are VERY disconnected with even the most basic of rights that people have.

[@ZachTheHuman]

I don’t think it couldn’t be, we need to take back our government from the corporations. Eat the rich.

[@willburr5929]

Privatization never saves consumers money. If they did, they would go out of business.

[@user-sm7qu3pu2u]

Public utilities should remain public. A private company should not be allowed to purchase a monopoly that the public depends on for basic needs. The citizens should not be held financially hostage with their only option to move somewhere else. Kind of a coincidence that the lawmakers who sellout are usually the first to move out of area they just screwed over.

[@nitwitt50]

The Native Americans have been fighting for clean water for years. They have said you can not drink OIL. WATER IS LIFE!!

[@Pomeray8]

Land and freedom! Team up with them. This is the way

[@OutdoorLonghair]

✊

[@beckyheinz7337]

Indeed. DAPL is where I joined the fight. I support Lakota Peoples Law Project. I also support Independent non profit journalism/Propublica.

[@ludus5781]

The British tried this. Now their seas are full of sewage.

[@deantebritton]

But the people who are profiting from it have their own private water supply that they paid for by taking the money from everyone else through exploitation via water monopoly

[@thebiggestpanda1]

Local residents should absolutely be required to vote on this issue and should have the right to reclaim the utility at any time.

[@GreenRiverGirl_6776]

For two years, I was severely burned by privatised city water, only escaping it when I moved to another state. Investors are getting paid handsomely for doing no work, in their entitled way leeching off those who work and harming them in the process. This must be stopped.

[@gigaus0]

Call it what it is: Big companies want to own everything you need to live and survive. This channel has covered medical, food, water, housing, electricity, cars, busses, jobs, and all have a single thread. If it's an absolute need, some guy in a board room wants to own it, just so he can own it. The cost doesn't matter; being able to say 'no you aren't getting it' does.

[@_-.-_-_.._--.-_-_----_-.--_._-]

You will own nothing and be happy. Remember that slogan. Know where it comes from.

[@aceous99]

amen, capitalism has become cancerous now that their only opponent (communism) is long gone.

[@Dracomarine]

Bro did you watch the fuckin video. It’s literally about big BUSINESS buying what was owned by LOCAL government

[@charlebrownga]

That's the point .the large corps will control every breathe we breathe the water we drink and we will own or control nothing. They will eventually have more power than national government. Look up the world economic forum.theres talk of eventually creating a global corporate congress that will basically be a world government.

[@bmiles4131]

Not “just to own it”. Worse, they want to own it because the customer has no choice. Can’t walk away no matter how high the price or how bad the service. They want to own monopolies and own land, water and air if they could.

[@bcx1138]

the private equity business model should be illegal

[@amzarnacht6710]

Sounds like a good amendment to the constitution. Remove 13 and replace it with this.

[@Wisepati]

Exactly they are also buying up emergency rooms. People are so worried about the government, but the real issue is the oligarchy.

[@jarthur5094]

How is this not voted on by the public!

[@justinegorski2703]

Public utilities need to be publicly owned.

[@RBzee112]

The UK privatized water and sewage. The Thames is overflowing with sewage now.

[@aceous99]

bad news, Thames always overflowing with sewage, it's just when stealing from the colonies is taboo, u instead steal from your neighbor!

[@joshuagharis9017]

Horrible. Absolutely horrible 😞

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Because they never upgraded the sewers from mixed to separate sanitary and storm sewerage.

[@Gregbuskte12424]

Just like in its past isn’t our global backslide lead by conservatives just so wonderful

[@sorbabaric1]

The UK used to have a great train system too.

[@SomeNerd361]

When are people going to get it through their thick skulls that privatization is ALWAYS THE BAD CHOICE

[@some1337dude1]

“But we’re making money and none of the peasants are rioting. How can it be bad?” -your local “Representative”

[@DgurlSunshine]

@@some1337dude1 "Privatize the profits, socialize the losses" in action CORRUPT

[@juliusbroedsgaard9124]

Well not always, but things like railroads where you can't have any competition or say critical infrastructure is an absolutely insane idea. Tho I guess the US also has some serious issues with companies that claim they compete but don't like uh, Comcast and Horizon are two ISP who just by "sheer chance" happen not to service the same areas.

[@shacktime]

@@juliusbroedsgaard9124 The more utilitarian the product and service the more it’s necessary to keep it away from profiteers.

[@borginburkes1819]

Privatization is good. Anything else is socialism

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

They need to outlaw this. Locals need to say no.

[@skeptick6513]

In PA and our water bill has nearly tripled in 10 years after our system was bought by American Water. We use a pretty modest amount, around 2500 gallons a month and our bill is about $150. The customer charge for water and sewer before you use a drop is almost $35. They buy up systems and before you know it you get a notice saying your bill is going up, and the regulators here let them charge whatever they want. If you live in an area where one of these companies are attempting to buy your system fight tooth and nail against it.

[@NoNotThatPaul]

The pervasive myth is that private companies do things better. They don't

[@Eaode]

they lobby against govt infrastructure to sabotage public services so ppl believe the lie.

[@LDrosophila]

They do well for their shareholders but if you need clean water they don't

[@SavageFreddy33]

Only Americans could be brainwashed to believe something that warped. God help us all...

[@DrRinehardHeisenberg]

Aqua ran the water utility’s in a neighborhood that I lived in 600$ a month water bills and the water had contaminants in it but Aqua didn’t care and when they did they raised rates and the water stayed the same companies like Aqua have no place in our society.

[@amzarnacht6710]

They do, though. Their boardrooms should serve as marvelous end recipients of high velocity retirement.

[@technocody9296]

Try go to attorney offices with free consultation and ask lawyers to see if they think your cases have higher potential to win in court.

[@DrRinehardHeisenberg]

We tried lawyers and got nowhere the Judge basically said if you don’t like the prices move

[@ChefboyRLG]

Control water, control food, control energy…. CONTROL THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! Come on man how do we stand together and fight back?????

[@survivormary1126]

They tried to pull that mess in Cleveland Ohio when Dennis Kucinich was Mayor. He stood by the people to the point that the City went into default, withstanding much criticism, to save the Public Utility. To this day he's the reason that it's City Owned and saved his constituents absolute Millions. Great guy we need more of. He's running for Congress and hope he wins. Vote hard people and do your research to back the right ones. Remember to follow the $$$$!!!

[@Laney_75]

Ask Britain how well privatized water & sewer went...

[@sorbabaric1]

How well the privatization of Britrail went . . .

[@bjarkiengelsson]

Thank the Iron Bitc - I mean Maggie Thatcher!

[@boonelorenz5005]

If they can sell the water service without telling me, I can drill a private well without telling them.

[@technocody9296]

And rain gutters turn into water tank in the basement.

[@Mtaalas]

Water and food are necessities for life. They should not be under corporate capitalist control without any oversight...

[@txferretgirl]

power, water, gas, should NOT be allowed to operate with investors in a for profit model. Period.

[@adamcarter74]

can we toss Medical in there as well? The USA is the ONLY developed country in the world that doesn't have "free" healthcare.. But nope, we think insurance companies making BILLIONS a year in proffits is the way to go, then the large hospitals have bought up all the smaller offices, so no more mom/pop doctors.

[@txferretgirl]

@@adamcarter74I mean, yah I don't think any insurance should be permitted to be for profit to the point where they aren't even doing what they are meant to do.

[@Steven9567]

@@adamcarter74 i say keep it private but you can't buy a clinic cause goverment health care is very bad

[@gordonmills2748]

In other news, Blackrock, Vanguard, and Berkshire-Hathaway have bought controlling interest in the atmosphere, and will be charging a monthly access fee.

[@aceous99]

we take great pride in our air and we just know.. ur gonna love it!

[@regishwadum]

Behold: the breathing bill

[@williamsporing1500]

You left State street off the list

[@mitchelldries6628]

corporations will stop at nothing to make sure EVERYTHING is for sale for a profit. everything.....

[@_-.-_-_.._--.-_-_----_-.--_._-]

You will own nothing and be happy.

[@charlebrownga]

Theyve literally been saying for a while you'll own nothing and be happy.

[@enemyofthesheeple]

You will own nothing and be happy 😊

[@jonhawthorn746]

@@charlebrowngaWell then they should own nothing by there board members going to prison, and their company dissolved to dust.

[@Obamaistoast2012]

I have always had one rule and thats never buy a property without its own water source.

[@josh2011miller80]

I, personally, would say that water is the #1 MOST valuable resource that humans need to survive. The only thing we need more frequently to survive is a new breath of fresh air four times a second.

[@joeolejar]

Why are these privatized utilities not regulated as a public utility? Unlike telecom, there is zero chance of competition.

[@skeptick6513]

They are technically regulated but the regulations are bought and paid for.

[@joeolejar]

Purchased self regulation. When did the wheels fall off?

[@andrewrockwell1282]

All utilities should be publicly owned and government run. That includes anything that is monopolistic.

[@aceous99]

u sound like a commie, r u a RED?!?!?!?!

[@xejelah]

Start suing politicians - they have no right to sell the taxpayers water

[@joshm3342]

I left Pennsylvania 44 years ago, but never dreamed of this happening. Trouble is, this can happen ANYWHERE. Voters, stay vigilant!

[@Xeonerable]

A water utility is basically a monopoly, pretty much letting a private company become the monopoly. All they care about if exponential profit growth and they have no competition so they can do whatever they want. And its not like people can just forego water, a basic life necessity.

[@thec9424]

I honestly wonder how far it will go before people actually fight back.

[@blues03]

@@thec9424 How would they do that? Shut off their own water or do you mean 2nd Amendment time? I'm serious. How are massive amounts of Americans supposed to fight back? The people that make these rules are insulated from them, outcome wise AND physically. It's their messengers, the other little people doing their job trying to stay employed, is who we can reach.

[@thec9424]

​@blues03 They keep erasing my replies. But basically we would need to do what the prolife did to end roe v wade, but for lobbying. They used voter suppression, gerrymandering, fear tactics, outright lies... whatever it takes to achieve their goal.

[@MS-br3ir]

It's not about profit. It's about control. It's the New World order. The world will have one government system. Every little thing you do will be controlled. It will be finalized by 2030.

[@traewatkins931]

Utilities (including internet access) all need to be required to be run as a not for profit entity. All mid level management and above (including executive) pay should be tied to Independently measured and validated metrics such as quality, customer satisfaction, and outages. Lobbying by these entities should be banned, and violations should be SEVERELY punished and any fines indexed to inflation as to never again becomming "the cost of doing business"

[@samuraijack1371]

This is what real reporting looks like

[@albertodelgado5120]

Wow. Greed is going to tear this country apart.

[@ubermo1182]

More Perfect Union is to be congratulated for being ahead of the curve on this issue! I think they have done something more important than just reporting on an entrenched problem.

[@judithmccrea2601]

Greed. One of the 7 Deadly Sins. And for a good reason.

[@fireemblemaddict128]

These towns could have asked any economist and they would have gotten the answer of "NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO." Handing a private company what is literally a monopoly and expecting them to be angels is a spell for disaster.

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

I love Essential's slogan. They "provide" natural resources in the same way that landlords "provide" housing.

[@stonecrow00]

I purchased a fixer upper and when I turned on my utilities and asked that the water service was left off until I could check for leaks. No meter was installed, I used ZERO gallons of water, but still had a sewer bill. This happened for multiple months.

[@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago]

Yep! The criminals hit your town...

[@wrenchaholic_]

Water and electric companies have a minimum amount you have to pay even if you don’t use the minimum and claim it’s a service fee.

[@watamatafoyu]

Corporations can't be trusted with responsibility in our basic needs or common welfare. That's a federal, state, or municipal responsibility, whichever does it most efficiently.

[@neilharris9803]

There are a lot of comments here, not sure if MPU will see this or not but gonna try. At the end of the videos you guys say leave a comment if there's an issue we'd like to see investigated. I have one that is somewhat similar to the one discussed in this video. A couple of years ago a big corporation, GFL, bought out my old trash service, Waste Management. Since then GFL had jacked up prices constantly. They justify this in several ways, mainly on fuel price increases. Fuel prices got really high after Russia invaded Ukraine, but have since normalized. Even with this the keep raising and raising prices. This is obviously not as crucial as water, but it's still pretty important and burden on a lot of people, especially lower income, elderly, etc. Thanks

[@pj-vu3cn]

"Vultures, vultures everywhere." Was it that economist Jeffrey Sachs who went around the ex-Soviet countries touting the benefits of privatization? "How's that working out for ya?"

[@dabirdalton]

This happened in Georgia with Natural Gas when it was deregulated and privatized. The lower more competitive prices never happened as the price of heating homes with natural gas during the winter skyrocketed. Privatzion only works to enrich the few while improvising everybody else.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Not always. Privatization of agriculture, industry, consumer goods, retail, and grocery stores vastly improved goods and services in the former Soviet Union.

[@deantebritton]

WTF are you on about with the Soviet Union? They socialized grain production and caused widespread famine. Stop being a Russian propaganda bot​@@gregorymalchuk272

[@SFBayAreaLiving]

Private companies have done SUCH a great job running electric and gas systems, let’s allow them move on to water and sewer systems! What could go wrong? City of London, England: Hold my beer!! It’s ALWAYS a bad idea to let for profit companies control essential services.

[@JohnD-JohnD]

Same thing happened here. A corporation bought up all the water utilities in the area. - Prairie Path Water / Water Services Corp / WSC Water went WAY up in price. What used to be a $10-20 bill is now about $120 a month, and we have also had spikes at $200.. For water... And here's the kicker, their meter isn't even transmitting the usage because the wireless transmitter that links to the meter isn't working. If you argue, they bounce you around until you give up. Town won't let me put in my own private well.

[@Noodlez38]

This is a great overview of what's happening in PA and across the country! Easy for folks to understand! We will continue to fight to SAVE CWA!!! Thank you!

[@eddyb2001]

I'm glad this was finally stated as someone who's owned a laboratory analyzing drinking water for public utilities for over 30 years. And this is only the tip of the iceberg of what's happening with investor and public utilities.

[@regishwadum]

Tell us more about

[@cerochargeduno8170]

Please educate us

[@cerochargeduno8170]

I want to learn ❤

[@justjunkmale]

They're trying to do this where I live in CA. There's a petition going around to at least allow a vote before selling the sewer system off. This is a low income area and a lot of people are going to suffer of this happens.

[@wrenchaholic_]

The tax payers of the given location should own the water.

[@BanFamilyVlogging]

There should be a law against profiting off of something that people depend on to stay alive.

[@tmc6799]

Already happening here, the "city" a small town of around a 1,000, allowed a company to take over the water department. This was done by the city council over the objections of most of the town's population. The water, which was never of good quality, now it's undrinkable and smells.

[@YourCapybaraAmigo_17yrsago]

And costs more!

[@greg6500]

Bet the council members can afford a lot of bottled water with whatever kickback that company gave them for selling you out.

[@tmc6799]

@@greg6500 True, they also got rid of our police department.

[@yummyherbicide7296]

@tmc6799 here's some food for thought, who's protecting the council if they got rid of police? This country was built on violent revolution.

[@taylor3950]

@@tmc6799 when are elections? Time to get some council members that actually care

[@apexchaser6187]

Here's a suggestion for a topic: I'm a 50+ year old with 20+ years of professional driving experience (over 1 million safe miles) I also worked as a trashman in Portland Oregon and as a lumber mill worker in northern Idaho (short version... LOTS of relevant job experience. Around 2 years ago I walked away from the trucking industry due to long term health concerns and a lack of work life balance. I spent a year exploring alternatives and decided to pursue a career as a transportation maintenance worker, for many reasons. Opportunity to learn new skills, physically demanding work outdoors (some of us enjoy it) good benefits and work life balance. The pay scale has always been modest (as is most government work) but due to inflation over the last several years, our pay scale isn't even sufficient to afford rent prices in SE Michigan...let alone enabling the purchase of a home. We get called out at 2am to plow the roads, and set up road closures for state police. We work all 4 seasons repairing guardrails, signs, drainage infrastructure and patching potholes all to serve and keep our community safe, and the economy flowing. Most of this work is done inches from speeding motorists. If WE can't afford even the most humble version of the American dream, something is deeply wrong.

[@greg6500]

Sorry some soft fleshy ghoul who never did anything for anyone needed more billions of dollars.

[@amzarnacht6710]

Those who work the hardest are paid the least. That's the American way.... capitalism without restriction. If a regulation pops up, buy off a politician to remove it. Yay, america.

[@charlebrownga]

We are serfs and tax cattle to the elite.

[@discographetti]

Thank you for everything you do and all the hard work, i’d love to see this channel cover this. I’m so sorry society is failing those holding it up

[@apexchaser6187]

@@amzarnacht6710 lol... this is why I've become an outspoken socialist. Not an easy thing in the industrial Midwest 😏✊

[@user-dr6vs7ot3q]

Aren't the utilities systems owned by the people? They are selling things that they do not OWN! SUE THE TOWN

[@fotnite_]

It's unfortunate, but in most places in the US they don't distinguish between "owned by the people" and "owned by the government".

[@Wilhuf1]

Keep public utilities public.

[@stuartbaxter-potter8363]

"Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence."

[@jennifermoore2041]

Our government is killing us off and handing our country over to foreign corporations 😢

[@cl7557]

Domestic corporations as well. It doesn’t make it any better.

[@Steven9567]

@@cl7557 i wouldn't call them Domestic they are global

[@nensondubois]

And no one tries stopping these corporations by any means necessary?

[@chavvy9074]

What would stop them?

[@MonkeyMind69]

Companies are FOR PROFIT, but water is a necessity for consumption, cleanliness, and growing food. Whether covered through taxes or paid directly, Greedy companies will find a way to exploit the system to line their own pockets.

[@matthewgagnon9426]

The names and homes of these executives needs to be published if they're going to be allowed to buy utilities like that. That way people know who to raise their complaints to when problems occur. If the executives aren't okay with that or think it's dangerous to them then maybe they need to leave well enough alone and stop buying up shit they don't need.

[@charlebrownga]

They need high speed lead injections..

[@edsmith6504]

And if you watch the movie The Big Short, one of the last lines in the movie states that one of the people involved with the gigantic stock crash of the 90's is investing heavily in... water. I think his name is Burry? I might be wrong.

[@serafinacosta7118]

Correct.

[@theresekirkpatrick3337]

We live in northern Arizona where they’re building with no regard to where the water will come from. Lake Powell and the Colorado river are way down.

[@judywyatt4790]

Should never be privatizes.

[@johnnynick3621]

It should ALL be privatized.

[@Boris80b]

Yep

[@allisonmarlow184]

Businesses should pay a PREMIUM for water and sewer -- enough so residential neighbors pay a serious DISCOUNT. Otherwise, turn off the water and sewer to businesses and have them bid to have it turned back on.

[@warmike]

It will all be passed on to consumers anyway.

[@theprecipiceofreason]

It's always going to be the opposite. Your life, under a government, has a price tag. It's not as much as you would think. Once it tips to a cost, rather than a profit, your life is forfeit. That's whats happening here. 6 billion is more than most counties full of people are worth.

[@AltruisticWarrior]

All utilities should be public owned. It's cheaper and there's more oversight for quality and safety. Not to mention workers fare much better as well. I don't know how people buy into the idea that private for profit endeavors are cheaper or better. There's a reason UPS and FedEx had a poison bill passed to effectively force USPS to increase their rates, they couldn't compete otherwise. Even CPS is being privatized in some states which is wild to me. To put a profit motive on CPS can only result in more unnecessary case loads and innocent people fighting for rights to their children. The concept is wild to me.

[@3namechangezalowdevry90day7]

Stop watering the lawn. Harvest rainwater. Re- use bath, dish, and laundry water to flush the toilet.

[@Sythemn]

My water and sewer bills for a family of 4 are like $35-$45. How on earth is that man being charged 10x that much???

[@theprecipiceofreason]

They did this in the UK. Now, all the shorelines and riverbanks are covered in t u r d s . Do you want t u r d s in your water? Do you want to pay more for that to happen?

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

T U R d s desu 😂

[@rwed13]

in civ2, when you pick democracy, one of the perks is that it has no corruption. it always cracks me up.

[@aceous99]

it's slightly better then the other forms of gov but now when the people beleive the hype and start to vote in the corruption, its on the people then.

[@charlebrownga]

We live in a republic not a democracy. Our gov would work just fine if it was given a reset.part of the problem is they've lost sight of who they work for.the powers that be are almost totally divorced from the life of the common man.used to be most of our politicians were war vets or business owners or farmers. Nowadays most of them are lawyers and don't even buy there own groceries.

[@BrianCarney-tn7mq]

The usa is an oligarchy disguised as a democratic republic. It has NEVER been a democracy.

[@BrianCarney-tn7mq]

​@@charlebrowngaan oligarchy disguised as a democratic republic*

[@nunyadambusiness3530]

@@charlebrownga Democratic Republic* fixed it for ya.

[@erincoleman7744]

I live in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania American Water has a monopoly here for the same reason...the local government sold out to them years ago. Average bill for a family of four is now over $200 PER MONTH. And they're trying to raise rates for a second time in as many years. Really awful and disgusting.

[@bovinityleak2066]

Privatizing essential services is such a bad idea. All they care about is maximizing profit NOT maximizing service to customers. The profit motive system always ends in misery for consumers (a less good outcome for more money)

[@geodad4782]

Of course it’s impossible to buy it back, that’s why you TAKE it back. If you have the local law enforcement on your side, what are they going to do?

[@matthewgagnon9426]

The problem there is those people who buy public utilities also buy the police.

[@geodad4782]

@@matthewgagnon9426 The police will come around after they have to pay a few exorbitant fees.

[@aceous99]

@@matthewgagnon9426 very true, the big investors/masters are very wise and always plan ahead!!!

[@thebiggestpanda1]

@@matthewgagnon9426then have everybody buy a rifle and take it back.

[@gramioerie_xi133]

@@thebiggestpanda1And when they ban those?

[@davegreen7594]

Glad I live in an area that has a co-op for utilities. Sure I have to pay attention to who is voted into the positions that are going to run the co-op but it’s worth the time and effort go vote.

[@gamtngirl3655]

I am so glad to have found this channel. Such incredibly worthwhile and important information.

[@bananamustache3071]

Thank you. I live in PA and it's a huge, very scary problem. Even if you have a well they often become contaminated with fracking and agricultural chemicals among other pollution. It leave you with no options for actually safe water in so many areas.

[@empressonthethrone]

Dude tried to tell us at the end of The Big Short...

[@emiliog.4432]

Water is going to become a scarce resource in 50 years or less. Governments must do something now otherwise our water supply will go to the highest bidder. I won’t be around to see the worst of it. I’ve seen the changes and it’s getting worse.

[@amzarnacht6710]

Neither will I, and I'm quite glad. Unless the corporate shill wanna-be-oligarch gets back in office and sells us out to Russia.

[@charlebrownga]

Theres no water shortage. There's a shortage of clean water.the bad part is they could clean it up.they collected the money for the infrastructure to do it in many cases and blew it on non-related projects.

[@Raja-bz4yw]

Please do a series or an investigation on why companies have switched to Ai to hire employees and why it is making it harder for qualified job applicants to get hired.

[@MsBizzyGurl]

Time to refuse these bills. Require your municipality to be accountable for infrastructure!