Victoria Beard

Meeting Everyone’s Water Needs in Cities in the Global South
Victoria Beard
Associate Professor, Cornell University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning

As part of the World Resources Report, Towards a More Equal City, this lecture analyses the challenge of providing equitable access to water in cities in the global South. Based on a study of 15 cities, the lecture describes the scale of the deficiencies in water provision for urban populations. It traces privatization and corporatization of water in cities and how this has led to the commodification of water. It considers current realities in informal settlements and the challenges of ensuring water supplies that are uncontaminated, regular, accessible and affordable. It examines efforts to reduce costs to consumers, accommodate flexible payment, limiting consumption, and upgrading informal settlements in an effort to meet the water needs of the urban under-served.

All lectures are free and open to the public; refreshments are provided. For more information or to make program suggestions, email lipscolumbiaplanning@gmail.com.