In Chile, a Private Solution for a Public Good

On paper, Chile can easily be considered a water-rich nation. The thin strip of land stretching along South America's western coast boasts over 50,000 cubic meters of water per person, per year. But looks can be deceiving. Much of that water rests in the country's southernmost tip, in the sparsely populated Patagonia region that lies far from most major Chilean cities, and transporting it north -- where the bulk of the country's population and mining industry reside -- isn't economically feasible. As Chilean citizens and companies vie for the scant water supplies left in the arid northern region, Santiago will struggle to balance the competing demands of the public and private sector, hamstrung by its own financial and regulatory constraints in the face of growing unrest. ...