The attributes and functions of large cities reflect the incessant, and profoundly dependent, interlinkages between local, national, and international spheres of interaction. The ‘urban’ is a specific arena of dispute, creativity, and confrontation, which are all socio-spatial phenomena that require appropriate theorization. In the case of sanitation-related health issues, the process of development leading to the unequal environmental risk exposure and access to treated water of socio-environmentally vulnerable populations and minority groups is characterized as environmental injustice.
Historically, the public supply of water and sanitations became a matter of public interest, however in recent times, many municipalities have begun the process of privatizing these services. Emerging from this paradigm shift is the discussion over the inequality of access to water and sanitation services, and the resulting impact on those without access.
In this Research Topic, we aim to discuss issues involved in the privatization of water supply and sanitation services around the world, seeking to understand the situation of the populations that are most vulnerable and that do not lead to profit for private service companies. As is common in the private sector, profitability is the objective of service provision and product selling. Thus, how does this sector allow for the provision of these services to the communities that need investments in basic infrastructure the most? This Research Topic aims to deepen the discussion around environmental injustice related to the privatization of sanitation in several cities around the world. We welcome research into consolidated experiences, cases of re-municipalization or in privatization processes, with the objective of helping decision makers in the formulation of national guidelines through to the implementation of water and sanitation services. We aim to shed light on the problems faced in the process of the privatization of water and sanitation services that are neglected in the promotion of the efficiency of the private market. We also hope to receive research into cases of privatization that have undergone processes of re-municipalization due to many factors, such as economic-financial problems, in taxation or in the water supply to populations.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Policy and Practice Review, Brief Research Report, Case Report, Community Case Study, Mini Review, Perspective and Policy Brief articles that highlight the administration of sanitation services and how management in practice has affected the access of excluded populations to water and sanitation services in urban centers, including but not limited to the following topics:
• Investments in water and sanitation services in areas that are rural, peri-urban, of native and traditional peoples, and excluded and vulnerable populations;
• Studies on the privatization of water and sewage services and environmental injustice;
• Studies on the communitarian administration of water and sanitation services;
• Cases of re-municipalization of water and sanitation services;
• Cases of corruption in the phases of the process of privatizing sanitation around the world.
The attributes and functions of large cities reflect the incessant, and profoundly dependent, interlinkages between local, national, and international spheres of interaction. The ‘urban’ is a specific arena of dispute, creativity, and confrontation, which are all socio-spatial phenomena that require appropriate theorization. In the case of sanitation-related health issues, the process of development leading to the unequal environmental risk exposure and access to treated water of socio-environmentally vulnerable populations and minority groups is characterized as environmental injustice.
Historically, the public supply of water and sanitations became a matter of public interest, however in recent times, many municipalities have begun the process of privatizing these services. Emerging from this paradigm shift is the discussion over the inequality of access to water and sanitation services, and the resulting impact on those without access.
In this Research Topic, we aim to discuss issues involved in the privatization of water supply and sanitation services around the world, seeking to understand the situation of the populations that are most vulnerable and that do not lead to profit for private service companies. As is common in the private sector, profitability is the objective of service provision and product selling. Thus, how does this sector allow for the provision of these services to the communities that need investments in basic infrastructure the most? This Research Topic aims to deepen the discussion around environmental injustice related to the privatization of sanitation in several cities around the world. We welcome research into consolidated experiences, cases of re-municipalization or in privatization processes, with the objective of helping decision makers in the formulation of national guidelines through to the implementation of water and sanitation services. We aim to shed light on the problems faced in the process of the privatization of water and sanitation services that are neglected in the promotion of the efficiency of the private market. We also hope to receive research into cases of privatization that have undergone processes of re-municipalization due to many factors, such as economic-financial problems, in taxation or in the water supply to populations.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Policy and Practice Review, Brief Research Report, Case Report, Community Case Study, Mini Review, Perspective and Policy Brief articles that highlight the administration of sanitation services and how management in practice has affected the access of excluded populations to water and sanitation services in urban centers, including but not limited to the following topics:
• Investments in water and sanitation services in areas that are rural, peri-urban, of native and traditional peoples, and excluded and vulnerable populations;
• Studies on the privatization of water and sewage services and environmental injustice;
• Studies on the communitarian administration of water and sanitation services;
• Cases of re-municipalization of water and sanitation services;
• Cases of corruption in the phases of the process of privatizing sanitation around the world.
