Clear about water
With World Water Day coming on March 22 and the World Bank Water Week 2007 just over, it is time for PSD Blog to chime in.
This week two experts will bring you some of the latest thinking here at the World Bank and IFC on water issues. What role should the World Bank play in privatization of water utilities? Should IFC pay for high-risk, micro-scale technologies? Is all water worth cleaning?
World Bank’s Tracy Hart, a global technical advisor to trans-boundary water resource management projects, and Corinne Figueredo, from the IFC Cleaner Technologies program, promise to answer these questions and more.
Comments are encouraged and we'll keep the track of the debate here:
- Tracy on new currents in water supply
- Corinne on thinking global and starting local
- Tracy on challenges in water treatment
- Corinne on carrots and sticks for cleaner production
- Usha on the need for investing in water
- Tracy asks "what's next?"
Comments (3)
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It seems clear that the Bank's rational for promoting privatization has changed dramatically since the 1980s, morphing from a strictly economic argument to a social one and, most recently, to an environmental position. What, in your view, are the implications for sovereignty of this most recent turn to the environment as a justification for privatization? Does it mark the death knell of sovereignty as the general governing institution of domestic water supply and sanitation?
Posted by: Dallas Blaney | Mar 19, 2007 9:34:38 AM
With regards to the correct set of solutions for water utilities, I would say that there is no pure push for privatization under any argument. The current agenda is for pragmatism in solutions, and most of the workable solutions in utilities reform are spanning both public and private. I would say that the general governing institution for domestic water supply has been, and still is, local government, and locally-based solutions. I hope that this answers your questions.
Posted by: Tracy Hart | Mar 19, 2007 2:25:48 PM
I really like tho start by thanking the IFC on this laudable gesture because the issue of adequate provision of water glabally is one that can not be undermined as it has, and is still, the cause of death from water borne diseases due to lack of proper treatment. In a country like Nigeria where i come from, this has been an issue that is yet to be adequately addressed even in the urban centres, talk less of the rural areas. I believe that it is a project that is worth embarking on and i shall engage in research to give you feed back on statistics of water needs both in the urban and rural areas in my country because water is life!
Thank you for the opportunity of making me part of this discussion with view to being part of this great service to mankind to the glory of God.
Regards,
Mr. Iyke D. Ndubuisi
Posted by: Iyke D. Ndubuisi | Mar 28, 2007 5:41:51 AM