Your evil case is not evil
The point of pricing water to that level is that it would induce other people who have access to bottled water to bring it to that market, as is desirable
The point of pricing water to that level is that it would induce other people who have access to bottled water to bring it to that market, as is desirable
No, the point is to selfishly profit-maximise. I'm not trying to be difficult in saying that. The thing you describe is not the intent, it's the hypothetical effect. It may or may not do that (I don't think it typically does, take toilet paper during COVID for example).
Yes, the point for the individual setting that price is to selfishly profit-maximize. The point for us accepting a system that does this is because it signals to other water-bottle-holders that there is a dire need nearby and pays them to meet that need.
I don't think the example of a meme-driven pseudo-shortage of a paper good during a once in a lifetime global pandemic (causing both supply and demand shocks and significant information problems) is a very good point.
Or is your point that all people in a market with leaded water should be paying $100 for pure water because it is inherently worth that much per the market.
I didn't say everybody. I said anybody who can.
What you describe is exactly why it's important to have an incentive for the people who do have those resources to employ them towards getting bottled water to this lead-poisoned region...