The human rights implications of the bottled water industry

Abstract

Given the current problem of unequal access to water which affects millions of people around the world, the purpose of this study is to attempt to determine how the bottled water industry fits in the project of universal and equitable access represented by the recognition of of water as a human right. The emerging notion of the human right to water upholds that the provision of safe drinking water at least the minimum amounts necessary to satisfy basic human needs should be provided to all persons, regardless of their socio-economic status. On the other hand, the bottled water industry treats water as an ordinary commodity, subjecting this water to market forces, limiting consumption so that only those who can afford it can have access to it, and thus reinforcing a notion of restricted access to water. In light of the above, it is striking that, while some people die of thirst, the market of bottled water has simultaneously grown exponentially in the last couple of years. Hence, a question arises as to what extent this two water ideologies can be said to be compatible. It is concluded that, in certain circumstances, the bottled water industry, far from fostering the realisation of the human right to water, may negatively impact on its realisation. This is mainly because the industry is part of a larger trend of water commodification that reinforces a project of restricted access to water, promoting institutional structures where only those with economic means can have access to the most important and essential element for human survival.