Fifteen years of neoliberal water supply policies in China have seen high profits for water companies at the expense of the country’s poor. But the lack of free speech and freedom of association in China means that people’s anger over water reform cannot be expressed via positive, popular campaigning. [refers to Suez, Veolia, Thames Water, Tanzhou Water, New World Development, China Water, Shen Yang Water, Beijing Capital, Shenzhen Water, Tsinghua Tongfang]