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Speed blogging
Thursday, April 23, 2015 4:52
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Read aguanomics http://www.aguanomics.com/ for the world’s best analysis of the politics and economics of water
- False dichotomy: Should California waste $98 billion on a bullet train or on a pipeline to carry water from Alaska? Neither. Save the money (and political controversy over water exports) and reform California water management
- This brochure [pdf] from Aquafed (the international association of investor-owned utilities) provides 30 cases studies of how “private” (but regulated!) operators can improve water systems
- Sao Paulo’s Sabesp is seeking 23 percent tariff increases to correct for inflation and falling revenues (less water to sell in a drought). The increase includes one percent or so for performance improvements. I’m not sure this is a wise move, given (a) disruptive shortages and (b) leaky networks. I left this comment on the story:
They’re going to have a hard time, politically, unless they can show they are improving operations (reducing leaks). It may be better for them to go to capital markets and payback loans with post-improvement tariff increases. Risky? Yes, but it forces them to succeed on their own money.
- ERRA is looking for more water regulators from MENA, ex-CIS and Eastern European countries
- Climate change (and drought in California) is making it profitable to “farm the north.” Great, now all we need to do is amend the Farm Bill to remove the disincentive for states to compete with California in growing tomatoes, etc. Related: The Myth of Europe’s Little Ice Age and Law Symposium on Agricultural Water Use Efficiency
H/Ts to BB,JD and RM
Source: http://www.aguanomics.com/2015/04/speed-blogging_23.html
