The Public Water Services in France: Between Public and Private Management

Abstract

Since the early 2000s, France has witnessed a marked shift towards the remunicipalisa- tion of public water services. The model of private management is currently undergoing a period of crisis, as public sentiment strongly favours the reappropriation of these essen- tial services by local authorities. This study sets out to identify the historical context of public water services management in France. It offers a number of explanations for the observed reversion to public management, chief among them being the growing demand for transparency within public services and the desire to take account a social dimension in the management of public services, particularly in light of the formal acknowledge- ment of access to water as a fundamental human right. The movement towards the remunicipalisation of public water services is propelled by a vigorous social demand, reflecting the citizenry’s aspiration to participate more effectively in the governance of water. It signals, moreover, the emergence of a civic counterbalance to both State author- ity and private sector interests.