The Effects of Privatization of Water Services

Abstract

Politika novog javnog menadžmenta u upravljanju javnim vodnim uslugama na prijelazu iz 20. u 21. stoljeće nije polučila pozitivne rezultate kao kod privatizacije velikih mrežnih industrija poput javnog prijevoza, opskrbe energentima ili telekomunikacijskih usluga, koja je korisnicima donijela smanjenje cijena i poboljšanje kvalitete. Razlozi tome su tehničke i ekonomske osobitosti djelatnosti vodnih usluga: osobitosti procesa zahvaćanja, pročišćavanja i distribucije vode za piće te odvodnje i pročišćavanja otpadnih voda, osobitosti cijene vodnih usluga te prirodni monopol na uslužnom području. Privatni isporučitelji prisutni su u 10% svjetske isporuke vodnih usluga i nema empirijskih dokaza da su efikasniji od javnih. Načela upravljanja vodnim uslugama su upravljanje vodom kao socijalnim dobrom, primjena ekonomskih pravila i osiguranje jakog regulacijskog i nadzornog sustava. Rad analizira osobitosti javnih vodnih usluga koje ograničavaju uspostavu tržišta, kao i moguću privatizaciju vodnih usluga. Rezultati analize upućuju na uzroke ograničenog dosega privatizacije vodnih usluga.The policy of new public management in water services management at the turn of the century did not bring about positive results as was the case with the privatisation of large network industries, such as public transport, energy supply, and telecommunication services, which ensured lower prices and increased quality. The reasons for that are technical and economic particularities of water supply industry – the particularities of the processes of abstraction, treatment, and distribution of drinking water and drainage and treatment of wastewater; particularities of the prices of water services, and natural monopoly on the service area. Private suppliers are present in 10 per cent of the world’s water supply services and there is no evidence that they are more successful than public suppliers are. The principles of water services management include managing water as public good, applying economic rules, and ensuring a strong regulatory and control system. The paper analyses the particularities of public water services which limit the establishment of a market as well as their possible privatisation. The results of the analysis have suggested the causes of limited privatisation of water services