Argentina debates water privatization amid health and environmental concerns

Lawyers, environmentalists and health professionals gathered at the Lomas de Zamora Bar Association to discuss the proposed privatization of Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA) under President Javier Milei’s government. Speakers warned that turning water into a commercial commodity could jeopardize public health, environmental protection and the nation’s water heritage. They cited past failures of private water services in the 1990s, highlighting deteriorated infrastructure and contaminated supplies in peri‑urban neighborhoods. The event also linked the AySA reform to broader debates over glacier protection and the country’s control of strategic natural resources.

Participants emphasized that water should remain a public right rather than a profit‑driven business, urging policymakers to safeguard equitable access and prioritize investment based on social need rather than profitability.