22 January 2009

Right to Water Press Statement For immediate release

*Water Meters Not About Conservation*

A user-pays system for domestic water supply will increase inequality and is a dubious way to conserve water resources says a local human rights group.

The Wellington Regional Council and the NZ Water and Wastes Association have both recently called for compulsory water metering and charging households by the volume of water used.

“These proposals aren’t about solving water shortages. They're about enabling business to access a sector previously off limits,” says Right to Water spokesperson Maria McMillan.

“New Zealand business interests, cheered on by their overseas peers, have been lobbying since the mid-1990s for the commercialisation of water including metering. Metering is a usual first step towards involving private sector in the management and distribution of water. The potential profits available to businesses managing household water supply are huge,” says Ms McMillan.

“Whether publicly or privately managed, a user-pays system is unfair. People on low incomes or with large families are disproportionately affected by charging for water. On top of this people have no choice but to use water – consumers can’t shop around for an alternative,” she says.

“Water is a public good and a human right. Its supply should not be left to the whims of the market. Access to sufficient quantities of clean water is the most basic of public health measures and something that benefits us all.”

“User-pays systems link suppliers’ profits to the amount of water they can sell – this clearly won’t result in reductions in water use. There are many more direct and targeted approaches to reducing water usage, such as promoting water recycling, rainwater tanks and water education programmes,” she said.

Internationally the water industry is worth US$400 billion.

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