Wat er R ep u bl ic P er in R a m bhi a M FA THESIS
W W W.WAT E R - R E P U B L I C.O R G
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Perin Rambhia
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Background Get up at 5 AM, turn on the faucets and place any available container under them, waiting for the water to finally trickle out for the first time in the day for a whole 15 minutes. This is such a common visual throughout Mumbai, my hometown in India, that it infact is a “part of life”. Some days, the water does trickle out of the faucets. Some days, it does not. Water occupies a central role in everyone’s life back home, regardless of caste, color, creed, or money. It is treated as if it were a treasure, and this reverence extends back even to ancient times. On the contrary, I have running water 24 hours/day 365 days/year in United States. Here, water is an afterthought and is taken for granted because it is so easily available. In both situations, water scarcity or overabundance, I notice that private corporations device a way to market themselves as the best option. This intrusion of private institutions in the water delivery mechanism has always made me uncomfortable — not only because water’s cultural and spiritual significance to my beliefs, but also because of the exploitation of ordinary citizens by private corporations in name of efficiency.
Content s
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
I m p o r ta n c e o f wat e r Pages 10 to 23
C o r p o r at e Ta k e o v e r Pages 24 to 35
Problem and it’s Solution Pages 36 to 45
Journal/process Pages 46 to 57
Wat e r R e p u b l ic I d e n t i t y Pages 58 to 67
Wat e r R e p u b l ic M at e r i a l s Pages 68 to 93
Wat e r R e p u b l ic P r o m o t i o n s Pages 94 to 105
Objective
Recognize water as a human right and keep its control in public hands Abstract The demand for water, our most valuable natural resource, is growing exponentially. It is termed the oil of 21st century and private corporations are rushing to invest in the water extraction and distribution functions that have been served quite adequately and equitably by public utilities and governments. These corporations are turning water, a basic human right, in to a marketable commodity by building a profitable industry out of the control, production, and distribution of water. Over the past couple of decades, many water utilities throughout the world have been privatized. Contrary to the picture of efficiency painted by private corporations, these privatizations have invariably resulted in some of the highest price hikes, environmental and health disasters, and socioeconomic price-based segregations. Various public policy organizations and concerned citizen groups have long been laboring to right this injustice. Still, the number of privatizations is on the rise and has found support from inf luential governments and international institutions such as the World Bank. One of the major issues is that citizens have been excluded from the decision making process even though they are the ones who are the most impacted. A nother issue is that the citizens are not familiar with past experiments in privatization and their adverse impacts. A well-informed, educated, and motivated population is going to be important in the fight against water privatization. This thesis designs Water Republic, a grassroots movement that educates and, in turn, encourages people and communities to collectively resist water privatization and demand that governments keep water as part of the global commons under public control, and seek to protect water for nature and resonable human use. It is based on the principles that water is a human right belonging to no one and the responsibility of all, and that privatization of water, including bottled water, should be banned because it violates the goals of equal distribution and preservation of water for future generations.
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
Im p orta nc e Of Wat er Water is the most precious and valuable of all Earth’s resources. A ll life on planet has an inherent right to water. Without it, we would perish. Plants and animals need a reliable supply, and it is critical to activities ranging from growing crops to etching computer chips. Demand for water has been steadily growing due to a population increase and we will surely face a water crisis in the future if we do not manage water resources better, and life itself will be in peril if water supplies cannot meet demand.
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1.1 Water for life Water is by far the most common substance on Earth’s surface and is the key to survival of plants, animals, humans, and Earth itself. Civilizations, from the Stone Age to the present, have formed, thrived, and withered on the basis of the availability of water. At the core, human survival depends on water for hydration, sanitation, and agriculture. In fact, people in many regions of the world have access to water that is barely enough to cover these necessities. In the developed nations where water is more easily available, its use extends to various activities such as industry and leisure. The fact that water is so intricately tied to our existence makes any disruption to its availability a danger to our survival.
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1.2 Water makes everything possible We need water to grow. Water plays a direct role in drinking water and agriculture but is also a direct element in manufacturing, energy production and sustaining ecosystems. Without it, growth would literally stop. And unlike other resources such as oil or minerals, water has no substitute. From a biological standpoint, water has many distinct properties that are critical for the proliferation of life that set it apart from other substances. It carries out this role by allowing organic compounds to react in ways that ultimately allow replication. All known forms of life depend on water. Water is vital both as a solvent in which many of the body’s solutes dissolve and as an essential part of many metabolic processes within the body. Water is fundamental to photosynthesis and respiration.
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70%
of Human body is water
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On an average an American uses
2,000
*
GALLONS of water per day *
Tot a l 55%of 20 0 0 ga l lons of water is used for food, 35% for elect ricit y, 5% for clot hes, computer a nd ot her consu mer goods a nd rema i n i ng 5% is pla i n d i rect use of water i nclud i ng water for sa n it izat ion, shower & clea n i ng.
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1.3 Water is scarce Global water shortage is not about a reduction in the total supply. The amount of fresh water that lands as rain, filling streams, rivers and lakes remains constant at 12,500 cubic kilometers, and at present we are still using less than a third. The problem lies in the mismatch between where the rain falls, and where people live. In many densely populated places, renewable water resources are is insufficient, leading to water being extracted from rivers and underground aquifers at an unsustainable rate. Increasing populations, expanding cities, and the swelling number of those enjoying a water-rich lifestyle are combining to cause critical shortages. About a fifth of the water used comes from aquifers. Some of these underground stores are in areas of low rainfall and do not get replinished at the rate of withdrawal. This reckless mining of groundwater has depleted the supplies and it can no longer be regarded as an unlimited supplement to surace water sources.
1.4 Water availability by 2025 The world’s population is grow ing at a rate of 80 mil lion people each year. T his means that each year we need to find a way to add about 64 bil lion cubic meters of water to the globa l water supply. To a l leviate the strain, every country is pumping groundwater at a rate that is faster than the recharge rate. This means that while today’s population demands are being met, a grow ing population in the f uture coupled w ith reduced groundwater w il l mean that a significant portion of the world’s population w il l lack adequate water supplies.
Total world population 9 billion
2.7Billion peopl e w i ll face sev er e shortages of fr esh wat er
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People
1,100,000,000 Thats is One in eight people have no access to clean & safe water around the world
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Thats 3x United States population +
+
Don’t HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
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M F A THESIS
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Cor p or at e Ta k eov er We often talk about water as the oil of this century and, right now, there are a few big companies, aided by international organizations such as W TO and World Bank, jockeying for position to take over public resources like water. The prime directive of the private water companies is to maximize profits, not protect consumers. Once water rights have been signed over, very little can be done to ensure that the private company will work in the best interest of the community. Today’s global water industry is dominated by ten corporate players, predominantly Suez, Veolia, RW EThams, Bechtel, and Bouygues-SAUR.
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2.1 How water companies came to be W hen water services are privatized, public control is transferred to a corporation, be it domestic, foreign or transnational. Various international institutions and governments have long been laboring to right this injustice. Unfortunately, their approach has veered off track in the last few decades. Rather than sticking to the proven path of publicly funded water systems, the World Bank and other international financial institutions and governments have been promoting private control and ownership of water services. They claim this will lead to greater efficiency, improved management and more investment.
World Fi n a n ci a l Ai d World Bank
Wto
Oecd
USAID
wwc
ADB
IFC
IFC Loans
Forced to privatize
Cash Str apped communitie s
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Rich countries
Funds
Political Influence
P r i vat e wat e r c o m pa n i e s
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2.2 Growing privatization trend Today’s global water industry is dominated by ten corporate players, predominantly Suez, Veolia, RWE-Thams, Bechtel, and Bouygues-SAUR. These companies have expanded throughout the globe through public-private partnerships, private ventures with other local institutions, or by buying shares and controlling stakes in local companies operating in a region. Using some or all of these tactics, the global water industry has been going through an unprecedented growth and expansion. The two biggest water multinationals, Suez and Veolia, have a presence on all continents even though they may not be known by their respective corporate names in many countries. They either have wholly-owned subsidiaries, or private partnerships in which they have the controlling stake. Through these ventures they are able to conduct business without giving the impression that a single corporation is establishing monopolies all over the world.
People served in millions
2000
1500
100
500
0
1999
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2005
2011
2025
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2.3 Negative impacts of water privatization
01
P r ic e H i k e Corporations have utilized rate hikes to maximize profits, which, by definition, is their bottom line. This bottom line often comes at the expense of water quality and customer service, but not at the expense of maintaining inf lated executive salaries. Among the more unseemly aspects of handling water as a marketable commodity, rather than a basic human need and a natural resource, is that the poor are often denied access. Because living without water is not an option, people are often forced to consume unsafe water, lest be faced with going without food, medicine or education.
02
U n d e r m i n e s Wat e r Q ua l i t y Because corporate agendas are driven by profits rather than the public good, privatization usually results in the compromising of environmental standards. The National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), which represents the U.S. private water industry, intensively and perennially lobbies Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency to refrain from adopting higher water quality standards. The NAWC also persistently requests that all federal regulations be based on sound cost-benefit analysis, which means that public health is compromised for the sake of higher profits.
03
Los s of Control When water services are privatized, very little can be done to ensure that the company — be it domestic, foreign or transnational — will work in the best interest of the community. Furthermore, if a community is dissatisfied with the performance of the company, buying back the water rights is a very difficult and costly proposition. Again, the prime directive of the water companies is to maximize profits, not protect consumers.
04
H igh o p e r at i n g C o s t There is a false perception that when water services are privatized, the financial burden will shift from the public to the private sector, which will save taxpayer money by assuming the costs of repairing, upgrading and maintaining infrastructure. In reality, taxpayers simply wind up paying for these projects through their monthly bills. Tax-free public financing translates into lower-cost projects, while taxable private financing results in higher interest rates. As a result, consumers are also forced to make these higher payments on company loans.
05
Job los s Massive layoffs often follow in the wake of privatization, as companies try to minimize costs and increase profits. At times, service and water quality are put at risk due to understaffing. As a result, layoffs can be devastating not only to the workers and their families, but to consumers as well.
M F A THESIS
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06
C o r p o r at i o n s a r e acc o u n ta b l e t o Sh a r e h o l d e r s , Not Consumers In many cases, deals that government agencies make with water companies include exclusive distribution rights for 25 to 30 years, effectively sanctioning a monopoly. Companies are under little pressure to respond to customer concerns, especially when the product in question is not a luxury item that families can do without if they are dissatisfied with the performance of the only provider.
07
C a n L e av e t h e P o o r w i t h N o Acc e s s t o C l e a n Wat e r Contrary to public assertions, World Bank and International Monetary Fund privatization schemes in the developing world usually result in reduced access to water for the poor. “Structural adjustment” programs foisted upon governments seeking loans often include water privatization as a condition. Impoverished, politically enfeebled countries are hardly in a position to refuse these conditions, as doing so would cause them to default on their debts. As a result, the World Bank and IMF are able to provide lucrative and virtually risk-free contracts for multinationals, due to guaranteed rates of return and investment protection clauses.
08
s e r v ic e p r o b l e m There is a false perception that when water services are privatized, the financial burden will shift from the public to the private sector, which will save taxpayer money by assuming the costs of repairing, upgrading and maintaining infrastructure. In reality, taxpayers simply wind up paying for these projects through their monthly bills. Tax-free public financing translates into lower-cost projects, while taxable private financing results in higher interest rates. As a result, consumers are also forced to make these higher payments on company loans.
09
Foster Corruptions The very structures of privatization encourage corruption. Checks and balances that could prevent corruption, such as accountability and transparency, are missing at every step of the process, from bidding on a contract to delivering water. Contracts are usually worked out behind closed doors with the details often still kept secret after the contract is signed, even though it is the public that will be directly affected by the conditions of the contract. This situation opens itself up to bribery, which, if recent scandals throughout the world are any indication, is not an uncommon occurrence.
10
O p e n t h e D o o r f o r B u l k Wat e r E x p o r t s Bulk water exports — transporting water from water-rich countries to water-poor countries — could have disastrous consequences. Massive extraction of water from its natural sources can result in ecological imbalance and destruction. Disrupting aquifers by over extraction often damages the environment and socioeconomic standards.
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2.4 After water privatization There are three main ways that private operation and management of water and sewer systems can affect workers and their communities. From Atlanta to Indianapolis, dramatic staff cuts have followed private takeovers of public water and sewer systems. In a survey of 10 drinking water and wastewater privatizations, corporate takeover led to an average job loss of 34 percent. For the workers who are not fired, transferred or forced into early retirement, compensation packages are usually worse after privatization. Compared to local governments, the private sector offers far fewer benefits such as retirement benefits, life insurance, and medical insurance.
20
C u t b ac k
%
35
%
7.4 M F A THESIS
%
Perin Rambhia
benefits
C u t b ac k
Employee s
C u t b ac k
sal arie s
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
2.5 Increasingly expensive water services For-profit water companies usually hike household water prices after buying municipal water and sewer systems. Many companies employ an aggressive rate increase strategy to recoup their investment and boost profits, usually aiming for a new hike every other year. Over time, this can add hundreds of dollars to a consumer’s annual water bill.
H o u s e h o l d Wat e r B i l l s B e f o r e a n d A f t e r P r i vat i z at i o n i n u s : $137
+$441
B ens a l em,PA
+ $609
$350 Bo l in g b r o o k ,Il
$165
+ $496
B r isto l, PA
$631
+ $771
Coat esv ill e,PA
$742
+ $456
Fa i r b a n ks, A l as k a
$272
+ $71
Flo r iss a nt,MO
$335
+ $257
M ed i a , PA
$334
+ $378
W est C h est er , PA
$305
+ $9
W eb st er G r ov es, M o
Before water privatization $600
+ $17
After water privatization
W est Cov in a , CA
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M F A THESIS
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probl em a nd I ts solu t ion Privatization of water has been a boon for private corporations, but it has come at a high price for the common public. In fact, most of the privatization schemes have ended in a disaster from an socio-economic and environmental standpoint and the public had to struggle to get out from under private control. Given this high rate of failures and the high costs to reverse privatization, one would assume that privatization as a trend would diminish as more and more cities reject it. On the contrary privatization has increased. It seems that current methods employed by NGOs, non-profits, and concerned citizens has had limited impact on the privatization trend. W hy?
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3.1 The Problem Private corporations have been incredibly sav vy in maintaining a very low profile when they move in with a proposal to take over water utilities from governments. Their first and foremost goal is to bypass voters entirely, if possible, and get deals approved by the elected officials through backdoor deals. Even when the public does get involved in the process through a vote referendum, the general public is generally not aware of the history of water privatization efforts elsewhere by the industry or the same corporation. The proposal review period is limited and private corporations employ shady marketing tactics to convince voters that privatization is the best solution to water and budget problems faced by the community. The right to sign over water utilities to private corporations resides in hands of government officials, who in turn are elected by citizens. The fate of every proposal to privatize water utilities is in the hands of the citizens. But citizens are, in almost all instances, uninformed or misinformed on the issues with privatization. A nd they are presented with a very short time in which they must understand the proposal, review it, and vote on it. Therefore it seems that the biggest obstacle is that the public are not educated and aware about the importance of water, history of water privatization, and the problems associated with privatization.
Completed privatization Prospective privatization
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1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
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1996
1997
1998
1999
Number of publicly owned water and sewer systems sold or leased to private companies
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
05
2000
2001
2002
2003
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2005
2006
2007
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2008
2009
2010
0
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3.2 The solution Education of citizens should be the topmost priority of any campaign against water privatization. This education should be proactive. That is, it should not occur only when the water utility is being, or has been, privatized. Rather it should occur before any such effort is in the works. Only an educated and informed citizenry will be able to effectively detect, protest, and block the efforts by private corporations to take control of water. The solution is to create a citizen-driven movement that relies on people power to spread the message about importance of water and the negative impacts of water privatization.
M F A THESIS
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Building communities for water commons
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Water Republic is a grassroots movement
the principles that water is a human right
that educates and, in turn, also encourages
belonging to no one and water a natural
individuals and communities to collectively
resource is the responsibility of al l, and that
resist water privatization and demand that
water privatization, including bottled water,
governments keep water as a part of the
should be banned as it violates the goals of
global commons under public control and
equal distribution and preservation of water
stewardship. Water Republic is founded on
for future generations.
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3.3 Why water republic? Privatization has been abject failure in all cities where water utilities were turned over to private corporations. In spite of the close to 100% failure rates, water privatization proposals are still being considered by elected officials worldwide. By far the biggest reason that water privatization is growing is that citizens are unaware about the problems associated with water privatization or the fact that their city or town may be considering such a proposal. The voice of citizens can be a powerful deterrent - but the voice can only be activated if their awareness about water privatization is elevated. Water Republic is born out of this need, and it aims to increase citizen awareness by connecting concerned citizens with one another and providing them with the tools to educate the general public about the ills of privatization.
3.4 What is water republic? Water Republic is a global citizen community that serves as a forum for concerned individuals, neighborhoods and non-profits in organizing to ensure that water— a public resource — stays in public hands. We are a citizen-driven grassroots movement and our mission is to collect, simplify, and spread information related to past and current developments in water privatization to a wider audience with the aim to alert them about the risks of privatization and stop corporations taking control of water away from public hands.
3.5 Who is a Water Republic Citizen A citizen of Water Republic is one who believes that water is central to life on Earth, and therefore it must be governed by principles that allow for reasonable use, equal distribution, and responsible treatment in order to preserve water for nature and future generations. He has pledged allegiance to a water commons framework by taking the two actions outlined in this guide. He is a global water commons warrior whose guiding principle is to treat water as belonging to no one, and the responsibility of all. Water Republic calls on all citizens to adopt a water commons framework by:
• Recognizing water as a human right, • Educating and getting the message out to the unincorporated community about the problems with water privatization, and
• Promoting publicly financed, owned and operated water utilities.
M F A THESIS
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3.6 Water republic principles Wat e r i s a H u m a n Righ t The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all human beings. Since people have a right to life, they also have a right to resources required to sustain it. Water is one of these essential human needs and therefore it must be recognized as an unalienable fundamental human right. Water Republic recognizes water's importance for life and therefore asserts that:
• Water
is a natural right and like all natural rights, water rights are usufructuary
rights-water can only be used but not owned, and
• The
state should play the role of the guardian of all water resources within its
boundary and is responsible for making available this water to every citizen regardless of social and economic status.
O p p o s e Wat e r P r i vat i z at i o n Given the track record of corporations that have begun to privatize water systems, and given how privatization has wreaked economic, social and environmental havoc on other utility industries, there is no reason to believe that corporations will demonstrate more responsible stewardship practices if they gain control of drinking water systems. Water Republic therefore asserts that:
• The very survival of billions of people cannot, and must not, rest on decisions being made today — behind closed doors, in most cases — in corporate boardrooms and government offices throughout the world.
• With each drop of water that falls into the hands of private interests, any sustainable solution to the global water crisis moves further and further from the public’s grasp.
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Access to water is a fundamental human need and therefore a basic human right — Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General
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Jou r na l / Proc ess The topic of water and water privatization is a complex web of inter-connected issues that spans all countries and people. As part of my research, I reviewed books related to privatization and water corporations, connected with NGOs such as Food Water Watch and Sierra Club, and interviewed people associated with efforts to ban water privatization. This helped me narrow down my solution to a people or citizen-centric model where education plays an eminent role in stopping corporations from taking control of water from public control.
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SE C TION : J O U RNAL / P RO C ESS
Pages
5 6 – 5 7
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
Wat er r ep u bl ic Iden t i t y The human brain is very visual and it can build an association with a brand, and everything the brand stands for, through its identity. I designed the Water Republic brand identity to ref lect its values. The Water Republic logo is a play on a water droplet and a self-referential arrow that indicates return of control. Its design allows it to stand alone as an Emblem to be used across various Water Republic material. The Water Republic text uses a modified serif.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C IDENTITY
Pages
5 8 – 5 9
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C IDENTITY
Pages
6 0 – 6 1
Primary color palette
Blue
100% Black
85% Black
Pantone 313 c (solid coated) 312 u (solid uncoated) 313 m (solid matte)
C:85 M:20 Y:15 K:0 R:0 G:151 B:190
Secondary color palette
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
5.2 Color Palette The color palette is predominantly based on shades of blue because this color is strongly associated with water. The Water Republic brand identity can only use the primary colors. The secondary color palette was introduced to identify the various aspects of water and water privatization - the warm colors to describe the importance of water, and the cool colors to describe the issues with privatization.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C IDENTITY
Pages
6 2– 6 3
Akzidenz-Grotesk (Print and Web)
A B C DEF G H I J KLMNOP Q RSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ( . , / ? } &% $ # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Serifa (Print and Web)
ABC D E F G H I J KL M N O P Q R S TU V W XYZ a bcdefgh ijk l m nopq rstuv w x yz (., / ?}&% $ # 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Helvetica LT Std (Web only)
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV WXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz (. , / ? } &% $ # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
5.3 Water Republic Typefaces Only three typefaces portray Water Republic’s image in the best light and are therefore the only ones that are approved for our print and digital communications. The first typeface is the Akzidenz-Grotesk. It is a complete family thats serviceable for both text and display. It has a program of contrasting thicks and thins in a contemporary setting. It includes a complete range of styles, six weights from Light to Black that are consistent in both style and quality. The second typeface is the Serifa. It is a complete family that brings a welcome eloquence to the can-do sensibility of pre-war Modernism. It has six weights, each in three different widths, each including the oftenneglected companion italic. The final typeface is the Helvetica LT Std. One of its most prominent characteristics is that it is readable at small sizes on a computer screen.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C IDENTITY
Pages
6 4– 6 5
5.4 Stationery
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C IDENTITY
Pages
6 6 – 6 7
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
Wat er R ep u bl ic M at er i a ls I developed and designed the material based on my research in to how to connect with the current generation on social topics, hold their attention, and motivate them to act before it is too late. The goal was to simply information and the delivery mechanisms so that a large amount of information could be consumed without reading too much. One of the other considerations in developing this material was to keep the production costs low since this is a citizen-funded movement. The material was developed for a combination of print and web media, with a larger focus on web.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
6 8– 6 9
6.1 Citizen’s Guide Water Republic is based on a core set of principles and it sets out a set of guidelines on what is expected of a true Water Republic citizen and warrior. These are elaborated in a concise Guide Book which serves as the definite companion to any prospective or current citizen. The guide book also lays out some of the ways in which citizens can contribute and spread the message of Water Republic.
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
7 0 – 7 1
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
7 2 – 7 3
6.2 Website Today, a web presence is a must if you want to connect with the younger generation. And since Water Republic aims to preserve water for the benefit of the younger and future generations, it’s audience is people within these age groups. The website is the central repository for everything Water Republic — from membership, to information, to videos, to meetups, to connecting with other members.
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
7 4 – 7 5
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
7 6 – 7 7
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
6.3 Fact Pack As mentioned before, the most critical problem that needs to be solved is educating people about the forgotten importance of water and the negative impact of privatization. There is a vast sea of information on the web and print that discusses both in considerable detail, but it can get very overwhelming. There is no one place where all information is organized and presented in a clear format. The fact pack has been designed with this purpose in mind. The fact pack is a collection of 10 foldable infographics that can be used as a set or individually. Together, they tell the story about why water privatization is bad and it distills information from a variety of sources in to quick-to-glance infographics.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
7 8 – 7 9
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
8 0 – 8 1
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
8 2– 8 3
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
J
U
M
L
Water company in control
Contract for
B
Issues faced by locals
J
Sold for
B
Water company in control
Contract for
Issues faced by locals
Sold for
Water company in control
Contract for
Issues faced by locals
Sold for
L
Water company in control
Contract for
M
B
U
L
Issues faced by locals
B
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
M
U
Sold for
L
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
8 4– 8 5
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
2050
2025
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
8 6 – 8 7
6.4 Oasis App The smartphone application Oasis is a companion to the website. It serves as the personal companion of every Water Republic citizen. It is used to check on updates, connect with other citizens, organize meetups, and also contains some features that help the citizen understand water usage.
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
8 8– 8 9
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
9 0 – 9 1
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C MATERIALS
Pages
9 2– 9 3
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
Wat er R ep u bl ic Promo t ions The promotional material was designed to intrigue people through open-ended questions about water and what-if scenarios. The philosophy behind this method was to put the focus squarely on water and make it personal to people by questioning what would happen if they lost access to water. The promotional material consisted of hoardings, water bottles, shirts, and buttons. The illustrations were done with water to enhance the delicacy and importance of water.
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
9 4– 9 5
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
9 7– 9 7
wat e r - r e pu b l i c.c o m
Water make possible but its access to Reclaim your
Building communities for water commons
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
wat e r - r e pu b l i c.c o m
Water makes everything possible but privatization limits its access to the privileged. Reclaim your right to water
es everything privatization limits o the privileged. r right to water
Building communities for water commons
wat e r - r e pu b l i c.c o m
Water makes everything possible but privatization limits its access to the privileged. Reclaim your right to water
Building communities for water commons
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
9 8– 9 9
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
1 0 0 – 1 0 1
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
1 0 2 – 1 0 3
M F A THESIS
Perin Rambhia
P RO J E C T : W ATER RE P U BLI C
W W W . W ATER - RE P U BLI C . ORG
SE C TION : W ATER RE P U BLI C P ROMOTIONS
Pages
1 0 4 – 1 0 5
M FA T H ES I S
P eri n R a m b h ia
P R O J E C T: W AT E R R E P U B L I C
Acknowledgements T o m y b e l o v e d fa m i ly I dedicate my portfolio to my parents Pravin and Ranjan Rambhia, Bhailal and Sushila Chheda, my siblings Heeral and Pinkal Rambhia and Vitasta Chheda-Menon and last but not least the my niece and nephew Zoe, and Sidharth Menon. Your belief and support gave me the courage to dream and pursue what I love. I hope my portfolio makes you proud. I love you all.
To my advisors Thank you Mary Scott, Phil Hamlett, Hunter Wimmer, Jeremy Stout, Paul Kagiwada, Ng Lian, Michael Kilgore, Machy Chadwick, Michael Sainato, Jay Cabalquinto, Chris Riggs, Ben Davis. I truly appreciate your mentoring and guidance. You encouraged me to experiment, pushed me to achieve perfection, and at times, restrained my wild side. I am a better designer today because you saw one in me.
T o m y d e a r f r i e n d s , n e a r a n d fa r Pankti Gada, Ankita Rambhia, Kavita Saney, Tessa Fish, Rutu Upadhyaya, Zainab Rupawalla, Melanie Torigoe, Hemali Chheda, Erin Canoy, Darshita Mistry and Stephanie Shelar.Thanks for all the help, laughs and fun moments. They kept me sane through the entire program.
T o m y h u bby Thank you Saurabh without you I wouldn’t be where I am. You came through for me in my thick and thin. I dedicate this book specially to you, my sucess would be incomplete without you.
W W W.WAT E R - R E P U B L I C.O R G
Pages
1 0 7– 1 0 7
Colophon Fac t s a n d n u m b e r s :
w w w. fo o da ndwat er watch.com w w w.a l l a b out wat er.org w w w.sier raclu b.org
Works Cited
Blue Conv ient a nt Cor porat e T h ief Ever y D rop For Sa le F low Wat er Under T h reat Wat er Wa rs Wat er For A l l w w w.fo o da ndwat er watch.com w w w.s t opwat er pr ivat i zat ion.com w w w.b ot le dwat er web.com w w w.i n sidet heb ot t le.org w w w.go o d.com w w w.ci rcleof blue.com
Fo r mo r e on the d esigner v isit p er inr a m bhi a .com
M FA T H ES I S
P eri n R a m b h ia
P R O J E C T: W AT E R R E P U B L I C