New WDM Report: 'Dirty Aid, Dirty Water'

WDM's new report, ‘Dirty Aid, Dirty Water', exposes the continuing push by donor governments and institutions to privatise water and sanitation in poor countries and calls for a different approach by donors to the global water crisis. In particular, the report demonstrates how, despite the many water privatisation failures around the developing world the UK Government is using its aid budget to pursue privatisation through funding ‘water privatisation consultants'. The report explains how a relatively small group of consultants - many based in the UK - are a key part of the privatisation process and how they have expanded their operations using UK aid. Case studies are provided demonstrating how consultants funded by the UK taxpayer have promoted privatisation in the developing world against the wishes of many people in those countries. The report then goes on to describe the range of different solutions, already existing and working well in various parts of the developing world, that are being ignored by donors such as the UK. And finally, the report calls on the UK Government to actively champion a different approach to water and sanitation in the developing world if there is to be any hope of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The report is available as both a shorter campaign report and a longer policy report.

They can both be downloaded from WDM's website: Campaign report: http://www.wdm.org.uk/resources/briefings/aid/dadwshort.pdf

Policy report: http://www.wdm.org.uk/resources/briefings/aid/dadwlong.pdf

To receive free printed copies of the campaign report, please email [email protected]

This report is the flagship document for WDM's new ‘Dirty Aid, Dirty Water' campaign. For more information on the campaign and on how you can get involved, see www.wdm.org.uk