"The water crisis, exacerbated by corruption, is exacting a high human toll on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Corruption makes water undrinkable, inaccessible and unaffordable. In developing countries, about 80 percent of health problems can be linked to substandard water and sanitation services,
claiming the lives of nearly 1.8 million children every year. Corruption in water is skewing access to precious and scarce resources away from the citizens who need them most. It is
hindering more...

"As with any governance framework, participation, transparency and accountability form the guiding principles needed for ensuring policies and decisions on water are
responsive to citizens. When these features are missing, the sector’s integrity is eroded and corruption is given a fertile ground on which to flourish. In the case of water, corruption has become a driver of the sector’s crisis. Overuse and contamination, abetted by
corruption, have caused water supplies to dwindle, user dema more...

Corruption in the water sector compromises the environmental agenda. It contributes to water scarcity, largescale pollution and the destruction of natural habitats — all factors which make our response to climate change more difficult. If present patterns continue, climate change is expected to fundamentally alter rainfall and river flows, drive up sea levels and put water supplies at risk in many regions. The world will see more frequent and catastrophic storms, floods and droughts with incal more...

Transparency International talks with Janelle Plummer, an anti-corruption expert working as an advisor for the World Bank, on why tackling corruption in the water sector needs to be a priority on the global agenda.
Listen to the interview here.