Think Progress » Flint, Michigan city officials issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a private company to conduct an analysis of the city’s water system and make recommendations for improvements. City residents believe this is an opening for water privatization and have expressed their opposition. Reports by the Food & Water Watch, a consumer watchdog group, found out of the U.S.’s 500 largest water systems, privately run utilities charged 59% more than those under local government control and can result in service declines and local job losses.