The future development, management, protection and use of freshwater resources has become a topic of considerable international debate over the past decade, involving a wide range of actors and numerous milestone events and processes. Most of these place considerable emphasis on market-based instruments and private sector participation as solutions to water scarcity in the 21st Century. At the same time, however, all assert the right of poor people to water and the need to protect freshwater ecosystems. For some, these goals are complementary. For others it is unclear whether the private sector can deliver efficient water services, while also ensuring its equitable and environmentally sustainable use.