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Did you know that certain parts of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) do not allow the government of Canada to ban water exports?

Meanwhile, two-thirds of U.S. states will face water shortages within the next 10 years, says Barry O’Neill, CUPE BC president.   “That means the Americans will soon be lobbying for huge exports of Canadian water. We need to be ready for this—for the U.S. to invoke NAFTA and threaten us with economic retaliation.”

Corporations want to treat water as if it were bananas or computers. And trade agreements—signed to benefit corporations, not people, fish or animals—make it legal for private companies to ship water from one place to another, for profit.

Some corporations have said that the water flowing into the ocean is “wasted water.” But nature does not waste water, and these dangerous ideas pose a real threat to an abundant resource.  Bulk water exports harm the environment and deprive us of natural water sources that sustain entire regions.

The following resources on bulk water exports can help you protect public water.