News from the Ground

Providing clean water in Istanbul

Providing clean water at relevant quality and quantity is a challenge that regulatory authorities have to face in metropolitan cities that seem to develop at their limits of sustainability. Istanbul strives to face such a challenge for its population of over 10 million, through six surface water resources.

Nearly all of Istanbul’s drinking water (97%) comes from surface water collected in reservoirs. Its most important water sources are the Omerli-Darlik system on the Asian side and the Terkos-Alibeykoy system on the European side. Both systems consist of dams, reservoirs, water treatment plants and pipelines. Many of the reservoirs that supply Istanbul are located within the metropolitan area and are exposed to pollution from settlements without adequate sanitation.

Thessaloniki Mayors want public management of EYATH

Against the tender for the privatization of EYATH are the municipalities of Thessaloniki, who seem decided to take over the management of water, requiring that TAIPED transfers its 51% stakes in the company to their control.

Article by Fani Sovitsli republication from Makedonia newspaper

translation SAVEGREEKWATER team

Furthermore, if their proposal is not accepted by the Greek public, they intend to participate in the contest in collaboration with the “Movement 136″, ensuring the necessary funding through loans.

British water companies are caught avoiding tax

British water companies are avoiding millions of pounds in tax by loading themselves up with debt listed on an offshore stock exchange, an investigation has revealed.

The disclosure is likely to reignite the public outcry about legal tax avoidance by big firms at a time when Britain is drowning in debt and suffering painful public spending cuts. It comes only a week after industry regulator Ofwat announced that water bills would rise by an average of 3.5 per cent to £388 a year. Corporate Watch found six UK water companies took high-interest loans from their owners through the Channel Islands stock exchange. Interest payments on the loans reduce taxable profits in the UK and, thanks to a regulatory loophole, go to the owners tax free.

The battle to keep water out of the european internal market

A test case for democracy in Europe.

The European Commission has in recent weeks gone on a PR offensive in response to growing criticism of its pro-privatisation agenda for the water sector. The criticism centres around the water privatisation conditions attached to the Troika’s rescue packages for Greece and Portugal, and the proposed EU concessions directive, which could lead to increased privatisation pressure on public water municipalities across Europe.

The concessions directive, which has the stated object of opening markets and eliminating “discrepancies among national regimes”, would end the exemption that has so far existed for drinking water supply and for the first time bring it under the rules of the EU’s single market.

Warning to MEPs about Suez Agbar visit in Barcelona

The Spanish members of the European Water Movement have written to Members of the European Parliament with their concerns about a visit by Suez-Agbar to Barcelona today on 28 February 2013.

Respected Parliamentarians of the European Union,

As you will be aware, Suez-Agbar have invited you to visit, on 1^st March, water installations in the Barcelona region. We would strongly urge you to both send this letter to the members of your party and to not take up the invitation. The fact is that the planned programme is biased, failing to provide alternative views from all interested parties throughout Spanish society, such as NGOs. These elements and opinions are essential, especially when dealing with public services and the environment.

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