As tramas da questão hídrica: uma análise da transformação da água num bem público dotado de valor econômico e dos comitês de bacias hidrográficas no Brasil

Abstract

The objective of this work is analyzing the processes by which has been disseminated the idea of an imminent Global Water Crisis, as well the strategies suggested in order to face it and their consequences in terms of public policies related to the national hydric sphere. We argue that the acknowledgement of the water as a narrowed natural resource and dotted with economic value, as well the new purpose of charging the use of natural water, and the purpose of management dynamics thru the installation of Hydric Basin Committees, all them are related to a setting of market interests and intentions, orchestrated by institutions such as the World Bank, aiming to built a scenario in which, after acknowledging the State s incompetence in managing the hydric resources area, they open the doors to the privatization of that sector, to the constitution of a public hydric resources market. We analyzed documents in which the discourses on the Global Water Crisis has been disseminated and collected primary empirical data thru some interviews we made with the Rio Paraiba Hydric Basin Committee members. Related to the Hydric Basin Committees we analyzed, we point out the non critic reproduction of apocalyptic discourses of hydric shortage in them as well some limits related to the ways by which the participation occurs there.