Are we headed towards another Enron? Or are we facing an opportunity to
bring accountability to our most essential resource -- water? You
decide!
After two and a half years of consumer abuse and mismanagement, German energy giant RWE announced its plans to sell American Water, the largest private water corporation in the U.S. Who will be the next owner: We, the People? Or just another distant corporation?
Today, help us reach our goal of 500 emails to RWE's CEO Harry Roels. Join the citizens of Lexington, Kentucky; Monterey, California; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Urbana, Illinois; and other cities in their pursuit of local accountability for their water utility.
Send a letter below to RWE's CEO Harry Roels!
>>Who is RWE?
RWE is one of the largest energy corporations in the world. Listed as #78 on the Global Fortune 500 list, RWE brings in annual revenues of $50 billion. Based in Essen, Germany, RWE owns more than 640 subsidiaries worldwide. In 2000, RWE purchased Britain's largest water corporation, Thames Water, and in 2003, RWE purchased the United States' largest private water corporation, American Water.
The Problem:
When RWE purchased American Water in 2003, CEO Harry Roels made a commitment that RWE would be a long-term partner with the communities his corporation serves. Less than three years later, RWE is saying "Auf Wiedersehen": the company is selling American Water, leaving communities in 27 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces in the dark about the future of their water utilities. So far, RWE and American Water executives have refused to negotiate with elected officials and citizens.
The Solution:
To avoid a replay of the problems RWE started, communities from Urbana, Illinois to Lexington, Kentucky are pursuing local ownership of water. Local ownership means more affordable rates, better customer service, and direct accountability to customers and voters. Local ownership also means your money stays in your community, and it's better for the environment.
Our Demands:
ReWirE American Water! We demand that RWE negotiate fairly with cities and communities interested in purchasing their local water utility. Having learned from communities' experiences with RWE, we demand that our local and state elected officials stand up for local ownership of water everywhere.
