Keep It Public: Hamilton's sorry tale of water-for-profit
In 1994 Hamilton became the first major city in Canada to contract out water and waste water treatment. Ten years later, Hamilton is still the only big city to hand this essential service over to multinationals.Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver and Winnipeg have all decided it’s better to keep their water system under direct public control and operation – in part because of Hamilton’s sorry history.
After ten years of controversy, bankruptcy, raw sewage spills and buck-passing, Hamilton council is moving to award another ten-year contract to a private operator to run our water system for profit. It’s time to say enough is enough.
Most Hamilton residents want the city to retake control of the water system but the mayor and a core group of councillors are determined to embark on another ten-year contract with a private operator.
At a recent meeting of the Public Works, Infrastructure and Environment Committee, residents and activists made their voices heard. They called for the city to take back control of water services, for full disclosure of the terms of the current contract and for proper public consultation. The only voice in support of private water was American Water, the company that has the current contract.
Despite these appeals from the public, the Committee voted 6-3 to contract out the city’s water for another 10 years. The mayor, who missed the public input, supported contracting out to a private operator.
Help bring Hamilton's water back under public control.
Council will deal with this issue on Wednesday, January 28th at 7:00 pm.
If the mayor and some councillors get their way, Hamilton will be locked into a contract that will continue to 2014.
We must not let that happen.
Let your councillor know that you care who operates your water and waste water treatment facilities.
Ask your councillor to:
- Vote to reverse the committee recommendation and bring water and waste water operations back in house.
- Initiate an independent audit of the last contract and release the findings publicly.
- Ensure that any decision to privatize our water system is completely open and transparent and includes public consultations.
For more information about the Hamilton ‘Keep it public’ campaign, read the articles below, or contact Dave Michor at (905) 575-5411
Hamilton Water Watch supports bid for information on true costs of private water
May 21, 2004 10:31 AM Hamilton Water Watch is supporting a Freedom of Information request by Councillor Sam Merulla, seeking further financial disclosure on the City's current private water contract. The City has been unwilling to provide information on the repair costs arising from the 10-year contract.
Hamilton Water Watch is collecting “loonies” and “toonies” for public access to information.
Apr 13, 2004 12:00 AM Please donate a dollar to two to support the Freedom of Information Request for financial information about American Water Services’ contract with the City of Hamilton.
Hamilton's Sorry Tale of Water For Profit
Jan 22, 2004 12:00 AM Feel free to download, distribute, print or post this printable version of our information leaflet, in order to spread awareness of this critical issue.
Contacting your local councillor
Jan 21, 2004 12:00 AM Find out how to visit, phone, fax or e-mail your local councillor and let them know that you care who operates your water and waste water treatment facilities.
Speaking notes for CUPE's presentation to Hamilton City Council
Jan 21, 2004 12:00 AM Sid Ryan, president of the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, spoke to Hamilton City Council encouraging them to bring water and waste water treatment services back in-house.
Return Hamilton’s water system to city control
Jan 19, 2004 12:00 AM After a ten-year experiment with private water system operation that has been fraught with corporate instability, raw sewage spills, and the loss of public control, Hamilton council must bring all operations and maintenance of the water and wastewater systems back into direct municipal delivery
Submission by CUPE 5167 to the City of Hamilton on the Hamilton water and wastewater operations contract
Jan 19, 2004 12:00 AM CUPE presented a research brief to the City of Hamilton, encouraging them to bring water and wastewater operations back to a municipally run model.
An Analysis of the Hamilton-Wentworth PUMC P3
May 15, 1999 12:00 AM An Analysis of a Public-Private Sector-Partnership: The Hamilton - Wentworth - Philips Utilities Management Corporation P3