Private and public management of urban water supply and sanitation systems: From privatization to remunicipalisation

This article documents the public and private management water and basic sanitation service in some cities throughout the world. International conditions are analyzed in which privatization was promoted by different international organizations which led many cities to have financial difficulties and poor service due to contracts signed with large multinationals. In the case of Colombia, a timeline of normative and institutional modifications is made that allowed the entry of the private sector in the provision of the water service. The mechanisms used by cities to recover water supply services and the challenges they face in achieving universal access to water resources are documented. It also identifies the business transformations over time of two companies that handle the aqueduct and sewerage service (EMCALI and EPM) that have survived through changes in regulations and tough competition from the private sector.