Cochabamba Water War

Cochabamba Water War
Demonstrators demand removal of consortium and end of privatization of water works
Date	November 1999 – April 2000
Location	Cochabamba, Bolivia
Caused by	Privatization of Cochabamba's water system (SEMAPA) and water supply by Aguas del Tunari
Methods	Demonstrations, referendum, road blockades, riots
Resulted in	Expulsion of Aguas del Tunari Repeal of Law 2029
Parties
Coordinadora in Defense of Water and Life MAS-IPSP CONDEPA MBL MIR-NM PCB Bolivian government Aguas del Tunari
Casualties
Death(s)	6[1]
Injuries	175
Arrested	20+

The Cochabamba Water War,^[2] also known as the Bolivian Water War, was a series of protests that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia's fourth largest city, between December 1999 and April 2000 in response to the privatization of the city's municipal water supply company SEMAPA. The wave of demonstrations and police violence was described as a public uprising against water prices.^[3]

The tensions erupted when a new firm, Aguas del Tunari (a joint venture involving Bechtel), was required to invest in construction of a long-envisioned dam (a priority of mayor Manfred Reyes Villa), so they had drastically raised water rates. Protests, largely organized through the Coordinadora (Coalition in Defense of Water and Life), a community coalition, erupted in January, February, and April 2000, culminating in tens of thousands marching downtown and battling police. One civilian was killed. On 10 April 2000, the national government reached an agreement with the Coordinadora to reverse the privatization. A complaint filed by foreign investors was resolved by agreement in February 2001.^{[citation needed]}