American Water fuit ; les allemands RWE bradent leur mauvais investissement.

WASHINGTON - le 16 mai - les minutes du conseil du RWE relatent "la résistance politique considérable à la privatisation du secteur de l'eau" et "des problèmes techniques » et la faible croissance d’ American Water" comme les raisons de la sortie rapide de l’entreprise allemande du marché de l'eau, selon Food & Water Watch l'organisation de défense consumériste qui a obtenu ces minutes pourtant sous scellées.


Ces minutes démontrent que RWE ne croit pas que des sociétés privées d'eau aux Etats-Unis soient un bon investissement. La société écoule ses mauvais investissements auprès des investisseurs de Wall Street et auprès des contribuables américains, " affirme le Directeur de l’association,Wenonah Hauter." De nombreuses villes à travers le pays ont indiqué qu'elles veulent rétablir la nationalisation de leurs Réseaux hydrographiques américains locaux, mais RWE a refusé de négocier ces ventes. "

Les minutes, datées du 16 septembre 2005 et du 4 novembre 2005, citent aussi des infrastructures périmées, des dispositions réglementaires croissantes et l'opposition aux augmentations des prix comme les freins à la rentabilité pour cette division d’American Water. Selon les minutes, les responsables se lamentaient "des investissements insuffisants d’American Water effectués pendant les 10 ans qui ont précédé l'acquisition de RWE de ce holding" et d’après les minutes, les pertes de distribution dues aux fuites d'eau atteindraient"environ 19 %,".

"Nous ne pouvons pas compter sur des sociétés privées, redevables qui doivent rendre des comptes auprès de lointains actionnaires, pour faire les investissements nécessaires afin de protéger nos ressources essentielles," explique le Directeur de l’association Food & Water Watch, Wenonah Hauter. "L'Eau est quelque chose dont nous avons tous besoin. La gérer nécessite une structure publique et une responsabilité publique. Le congrès devrait protéger les générations d'Américains actuelles et futures en consacrant des moyens de financement pour l'eau - un fonds fiduciaire pour conserver notre eau propre et en sécurité."

Le Ministère de l'Environnement comme d'autres a identifié un déficit de 22 milliards de $ entre les fonds disponibles et les fonds nécessaires durant ces deux décennies pour des canalisations d'eau et des usines de traitement des eaux usées aux États-Unis. Des avocats de l’association ont permis l’augmentation du financement fédéral pour des structures publiques d'eau par l'établissement d'un fonds fiduciaire pour l'eau potable et le traitement des eaux.


Traduction Bénévole SDT

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WASHINGTON - May 16 - RWE’s board minutes cite “considerable political resistance to privatization of the water sector” and “performance problems and weak growth at American Water” as reasons for the German utility’s quick exit from the water business, according to the consumer advocacy organization Food & Water Watch which obtained the sealed minutes.

“These minutes demonstrate that RWE doesn’t believe that private water companies in the United States are a good investment. The company is dumping their bad investment on Wall Street investors and American ratepayers,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “Communities across the country have indicated that they wish to restore public ownership of their local American Water systems, but RWE has refused to negotiate those sales.”

The minutes, dated September 16, 2005 and November 4, 2005, also cite outdated infrastructure, increasing regulatory requirements, and opposition to rate increases as challenges to profitability in the American Water division. Board supervisors lamented “insufficient investment by American Water in the previous 10 years prior to RWE acquiring its holding” and water leak distribution losses of “about 19%,” according to the minutes.

“We cannot count on private corporations, beholden to faraway shareholders, to make the necessary investments to protect our essential resources,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “Water is something we all need. It’s a public trust and a public responsibility. Congress should protect current and future generations of Americans dedicating a funding stream for water - a trust fund to keep our water clean and safe.”

The Environmental Protection Agency and others have identified a $22 billion shortfall between the funds available and the funds necessary over the next two decades for water pipes and treatment plants in the United States. Food & Water Watch advocates increased federal funding for public water utilities through establishment of a trust fund for drinking water and water treatment.

For more information, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water .foodandwaterwatch.org/water or read the Food & Water Watch report Faulty Pipes: Why Public Funding - Not Privatization - Is The Answer For U.S. Water Systems


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Excerpts from RWE Supervisory Board Minutes

Food & Water Watch has obtained a copy of the sealed minutes of the RWE Supervisory Board meetings on September 16, 2005 and November 4, 2005, which reveal the real reasons RWE is selling American Water and exiting the global water business. For a copy of the full document, visit http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/corporations/american-water/rwe-boardminutes.pdf/view or contact Victoria Kaplan at (202) 797-6556 or vkaplan [at] fwwatch.org.

September 16, 2005

“Due to a slower course taken by liberalization and to what was in places considerable political resistance to privatization of the water sector, the achievable overall market footprint was much smaller than expected” (Page 2)

“The situation in the US was also difficult. There, public resistance to privatization schemes of companies was growing” (Page 4)

“…the regulatory environment, e.g. in Kentucky, Arizona and Virginia, was extremely difficult… the guaranteed return is limited to approx. 6% in all after taxes, and that the leeway for outperformance is restricted” (Page 4)

American Water’s distribution losses “was about 19%” (Page 4)

In the West region, “a negative value-add was reckoned with for the years 2005-2009” (Page 5)

“If a decision were taken in favor of retaining the holding in American water, it would be essential to install a new management in the US. The restructuring of the American Water group would then have to be pursued with new urgency” (Page 6)

November 4, 2005

“The underlying political conditions for the water market had tended to worsen. It had been particularly disappointing, Mr. Roels said, that the Water division had not achieved its growth targets” (Page 1)

“A look at the budget figures for Thames Water and American Water clearly showed that the previously announced targets had been chronically too optimistic. The new budget, which is based on much more realistic suppositions, showed many more downsides than upsides for the water area” (Page 1)

“Regarding the negative value-add by American Water until 2010, Mr. Roels explained that none of the expectations that had attached to American Water had been fulfilled” (Page 4)

“In connection with the discussions about the most recent planning by American Water’s management, it had become clear to him that leakage problems in the US would tend to worsen in the future.” The share of water production in Pennsylvania that is lost by leakage “stood at 30%” (Page 8)

At the current renewal rate, it would take “over 200 years” to replace American Water’s entire pipe system. American Water “…had not met regulatory stipulations in various US states. In part, this was to due to insufficient investment by American Water in the previous 10 years prior to RWE acquiring its holding.” (Page 8)

“… in connection with the purchase of Thames Water and American Water, acquisition premiums of 45% had been paid. There was a considerable risk that these acquisition premiums would be lost in any sale of American Water and Thames Water.” (Page 10)