Abstract

This article examines the institutionalization and normalization of one mode of water access–water tanker trucks–in rural communities in Chile. Our findings reveal four explanations for community acceptance of this socio-technical device: challenges in measuring nationwide tanker truck usage, the tanker truck as a symbol of state presence in marginalized areas, its integration into existing practices that do not challenge water policies and its combination with local strategies. The institutionalization and normalization of this ‘solution’ allows for the commodification of water and the continuation and deepening of inequalities in water access for domestic consumption. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.