Subterranean water, on the other hand, belongs to whomever owns the land it is under. At stake 1. The debate over the privatization of water involves the management of public water services. These services have been provided almost exclusively by municipalities since the middle of the 19th century. Before then, such services were the preserve of private interests.
Private enterprise is increasingly interested in municipal water services.
The potential for profit is considerable, especially if a base-load water tax is imposed. The private sector has advanced several arguments to justify either the privatization of water services or the establishment of public-private partnerships. The proponents of such proposals maintain that municipalities alone can not afford the costs of repairing the water system infrastructure. 2 Proponents of privatization also assert that it will reduce consumption, due, for example, to the installation of water meters. Montreal does exceed other cities with respect to commercial and industrial consumption.