Transparency International: Corruption in the Water Sector

http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2008/wwd_redbox_18_march
Transparency International's will be releasing a report on corruption in the water sector.

http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2008/2008_06_06_gcr2008_ny

Transparency International’s Global Corruption Report 2008: Corruption in the Water Sector will be released on 25 June 2008 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Corruption undermines development as it exacerbates the global water crisis that threatens billions of lives and facilitates environmental degradation. It represents a risk for efforts to tackle the food crisis and affects all aspects of the water sector, from water resources management to drinking water services, irrigation and hydropower.
In this timely report, scholars and professionals document the impact of corruption in the sector, with case studies from all around the world offering practical suggestions for reform.
Panel discussion followed by press conference
Wednesday 25 June, 200810.00 - 11.30 am

Water Summit in Singapore and New Water Institute

Biofuels exacerbating water crisis - solutions? Competitive pricing v. transferable water rights

An oped piece by the chairman of multinational Nestlé.

"We also need to encourage the responsible use of water. And the only way to do that is to introduce competitive pricing. Water is being wasted and misused because few people are even aware of its worth. Today, 94% of available water is used by agriculture – and because there are no cost consequences for the farmer, almost all of that water is underused or misused."

************************************************************************
A RESPONSE by John Briscoe, Country Director for Brazil, World Bank

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121417640158095337.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"There is only one way of getting users to consider opportunity costs and that is to give users well-specified, transferable water rights."

EXPO ZARAGOZA: World's Biggest Water Festival in Spain

This should be monitored: "A goal of the expo is to produce a 'Zaragoza Charter' which will detail recommendations to address such issues as access to clean water, water scarcity, water wars, and water conservation."
http://ecoworldly.com/2008/06/18/biggest-water-festival-on-earth-opens-in-spain/

Watching Water: Corporate Risks and Opportunities in a Thirsty World

The folks at JP Morgan's Environmental, Social and Governance Research practice have put together a report on doing business in an environment plagued by water scarcity. This report analyzes both risks (environmental liabilities etc.) and opportunities (sectors like water treatment) to help clients navigate water issues. The link is posted and I'd be eager to hear some CSR analysis - is there a CSR component in play? a rights-based analysis present?

http://pdf.wri.org/jpmorgan_watching_water.pdf

NYT: Entrepreneurs get into the clean water business

Small businesses are meeting demand for clean water - not only for municipal residential uses, but for industry. Small firms are developing high-tech solutions in desalination, water purefication, and treatment processes. The Suez company is often mentioned (it's the world's largest water company) - who has more info about Suez? Also, these companies will soon be bringing this technology to the developing world and drought-stricken areas or areas lacking clean water. What is the balance between profit making and making a profit using someone else's public good?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/business/smallbusiness/19edge.html?ex=1214452800&en=e1413e4128b7375e&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Business responses to world water shortages

GE has announced plans to cut its own water consumption by 20% by 2012, citing anticipated rising costs in water as well as environmental concerns. DuPont, the US chemicals group, has set itself a target of a 30% reduction in water consumption by 2015, while Coca-Cola has said it has achieved a cut of almost 20% since 2003.

A potentially promising start, but what industrial activities carried out by companies such as these (e.g. extractive, manufacturing, chemical) have led to groundwater contamination?

See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/may/29/generalelectric.greenbusiness

The High Court of South Africa: Mazibuko and The City of Johannesburg (April 30, 2008)

In a decision involving the rights to water for poor residents of the township of Phiri, South Africa, the High Court (Court) held that the forced installation of a prepayment water meter system without the option of an “all available” water supply option was unconstitutional and unlawful. The Court ordered the City of Johannesburg to provide each applicant and other similarly situated residents of Phiri with free basic water supply of 50 liters per person per day, thus setting aside the City’s decision to limit the water supply to 25 liters per person per day. The Court required Johannesburg to pay for the installation of a metered water supply to allow residents of Phiri that option....

http://www.asil.org/ilib/2008/06/ilib080603.htm#j2

HR 5770 - Congressional Bill to provide for study of climate change on water resources and water quality

H.R. 5770 (climate change) was reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rep. No. 110-685 Pt. 1, 154 Cong. Rec. H4973 (daily ed. June 4, 2008). The bill would provide for a study by the National Academy of Sciences of potential impacts of climate change on water resources and water quality.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:hr5770:

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5770
To provide for a study by the National Academy of Sciences of potential impacts of climate change on water resources and water quality.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 10, 2008
Mr. HALL of New York (for himself, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, and Ms. LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned


A BILL
To provide for a study by the National Academy of Sciences of potential impacts of climate change on water resources and water quality.

Media coverage of water issues (June 2008)

When it rains it pours, and that is appropos of recent media coverage of water issues. A sampling includes:

• Special Report: The Global Freshwater Crisis and the Quest for Solutions, American Prospect, June 2008

http://www.prospect.org/cs/special_report

• Susan Berfield, There Will Be Water, Businessweek

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories

• Elisabeth Rosenthal, In Spain, Water is the New Battleground, New York Times, June 3, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/world/europe/03dry.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=spain+water&st=nyt&oref=slogin

• Sabrina Tavernise, Old Farming Habits Leave Uzbekistan a Legacy of Salt, New York Times, June 15, 2008

Cotton is king in Uzbekistan and salinity is rising in irrigated land and the Aral Sea is drying up.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/world/asia/15uzbek.html

• Elizabeth Royte, Book review of BOTTLEMANIA How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, New York Times, June 15, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/books/review/Margonelli-t.html?ex=1214193600&en=816d5bfaae0d0304&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Welcome to WaterBlogged: A blog about access to safe, physically accessible, sufficient and affordable clean water

Welcome to WaterBlogged: Clean Water for Life.

We set up this blog to discuss issues surrounding worldwide access to safe, physically accessible, sufficient and affordable clean water. These issues include, but are not limited to: 1) whether access to clean water should be enshrined as a fundamental human right; 2) how to respond to the increasingly prevalent treatment of water as a commodity rather than a public good (corporate social responsibility and water); 3) clean water as global health issue; 4) clean water as a poverty issue; 5) clean water as a global security issue; 6) clean water as a gender issue.