"Governments like starting new projects, but it is often cheaper to fix broken ones. Ideally, locals should be trained to maintain their own boreholes. Tanks to catch rain are simple and efficient." wrote The Economist in August 2004 "A billion thirsts quenched".

Dr Sudhirendar Sharma in his article asks "Is privatisation of water bad news?" (Tehelka, November 2004). Most governments do a poor job of delivering water services especially to the poor. It refers to August 2004 edition of The Economist article "Water companies in the third world". This article seems to expose its long standing materialist bias because it looks at water as a product "with no known or even imaginable substitute, ever-growing demand, tied customers." It seems to be saddened by the plight of three biggest private-sector water companies in the world, RWE Thames Water, Suez and Veolia Environnement who are eager to exit.

The Economist itself acknowldged in its July, 2003 issue that not all the world's water policies are terrible. There are successes too, in such widely differing fields as pricing, irrigation and improved access. In answer to the question posed by Dr Sharma, lets answer another question. Cannot the public sector do better?