Onus on govts for affordable water

People tend to believe water prices have risen in several cities because multinational companies are trying to monopolize water treatment and supply in China. But it doesn't seem foreign firms can do so because they hold a relatively low market share, says an article in the Beijing News. Excerpt:

Market economy, as a matter of rule, allows foreign companies to merge with or acquire not-so-successful domestic firms. Actually, multinationals have been taking over part of China's water treatment and supply business because local authorities want to make big money in the short term, without doing the hard work that comes with it.

As a public service, water treatment and supply should be regulated by the central government because it's part of national security. In practice, though, the right to fix water price lies with provincial - or even city or town - governments.