Victoria Beard, lead author of the WRR water paper, “Meeting Everyone’s Water Needs in Cities in the Global South,” presented preliminary research results at Columbia University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning. During this lecture, Victoria presented analysis of the challenge of providing equitable access to water in cities in the global south. Based on a study of 15 cities, Victoria described the scale of the deficiencies in water provision for urban populations, and traced privatization and corporatization of water in cities, which led to the commodification of water. The research presented in this lecture considered current realities in informal settlements and the challenges of ensuring water supplies that are uncontaminated, regular, accessible and affordable. The presentation concluded with the examination of 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.

Victoria A. Beard

Fellow, World Resources Report, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities