Water supply privatization was emblematic of the neoliberal turn in development policy in the 1990s. In Privatizing Water, Karen Bakker examines why privatization emerged as a preferred alternative for managing urban water supply, whether it can meet expectations (especially for the urban poor), and what alternatives exist. She introduces the concept of "governance failure" to explore limitations of private companies and governments and critically examines issues including the human right to water, commons-based management, and environmental dimensions of water privatization.