Water becomes a right

At a time when large corporations like Goldman Sachs are trying to get control of local water supplies and public works, the United Nations has declared water to be a human right.

Over the opposition of the large powers, the declaration passed the U.N. General Assembly with the support of 122 countries representing about three-fourths of the world’s population.

A similar measure failed even to reach the General Assembly in 2008, in part because of opposition from the Bush administration. That was the year Goldman Sachs attempted to obtain control over the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (“H2Oh!” RN&R, Aug. 28, 2008). This time, while the United States under President Obama was still technically in opposition to the measure, its representative did not vote.