The Commercialization of Water Utilities: How Cities in Finland Quench Their Thirst for Money

Water utilities are increasingly managed like private sector businesses. As a consequence, water services turn from a public service into a foremost commercial operation. Short-term profit maximization wins over infrastructure investments. While most research treats this problem as a consequence of privatization and argues that water services are safer when in public hands, this book shows how water services commercialize under public ownership. By taking a close look at the change processes, the involved actors, and outcomes, the entrepreneurialization of local government is identified as the main cause of the commercialization of water utilities. The conclusion is that keeping water services in public ownership cannot be the answer to sustainable water services alone.