Water Privatization and Pension Fund Investments
By Paul Hutcheson“The BCTF is urging members to oppose the sale of bottled water in schools as a way of taking a personal stand against water privatization.”
From: Keeping school drinking water flowing and combating the privatizationof water, Social Justice Newsletter, Summer 2008, page 9 (emphasis added)
At the 2008 BCTF AGM, the following motions were passed:
“That the Federation oppose the sale of bottled water in schools, and promote policies that ensure free safe drinking water access for every school.” and
“That the BCTF endorse the concept that water resources by kept public and free.”
The Teachers’ Pension Plan through bcIMC has investments in the following corporations—each is involved in the privatization of water to some degree:
|
Name of corporation |
Investment,
in millions of dollars |
Comments |
|
Coca-Cola Company |
$112.64 |
Dasani / plastic waste an issue;obtains municipal water at bargain prices, resells at enormous profit |
|
PepsiCo Incorporated |
$130.7 |
Aquafina/ plastic waste an issue |
|
Suez SA |
$ 62.8 |
Operates in developing countries |
|
Veolia Environment |
$ 16.3 |
|
|
Thames Water |
No figure given, private placement investment |
|
|
RWE AG |
$ 36.5 |
|
|
Severn Trent PLC |
$ 2.8 |
|
|
Kurita Water Industries Ltd |
$ .8 |
|
|
Waters Corp |
$ 13.9 |
|
|
Allied Waste Industries and Waste Management Inc (appears likely to become one company |
$ 17.5 |
Is interested in operating both sewage treatment and water supply systems—simultaneously |
|
Nestle Inc |
$141.3 |
|
|
I’ve just finished reading Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water by Maude Barlow and highly recommend it. Additionally, there are any number of books on the shelves of your local public library that will provide additional information on the scope of water privatization.