Topic Guide: Corruption in Water and Sanitation Sector

Water Integrity Network. 2016. Water Integrity Global Outlook. 266p. http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i36/Citizen-Science-Faces-Pushback.html  

This report gives a comprehensive overview of the integrity challenges in the water sector. Using country examples, it examines the strengths and weaknesses of the water sector, and shows that the sector needs openness and citizen involvement. The report also provides examples of innovative programmes and projects and demonstrates tools and techniques that can be used to improve integrity in the water sector.  

John Butterworth & Alana Potter. 2014. Mainstreaming Anticorruption Initiatives: Development of a Water Sector Strategy in Mozambique.Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Practice Insight no. 2014:2) 14 p.  http://www.u4.no/publications/...    

Sectoral approaches to combatting corruption have gained momentum in recent years, yet the strategic prioritisation of sector anti-corruption initiatives is still the exception. The National Water Directorate in Mozambique is one of the few public sector departments in the world known to have allocated its own resources to developing a sector-specific anti-corruption strategy. Its experience offers valuable lessons for others considering integrating anti-corruption in the sector. Leadership needs to come from ministries with inter-sectoral mandates or through formal collaboration between different ministries. Government-led processes must be complemented by locally-driven social accountability processes. Sectoral strategies need strong political commitment, at sector and central government levels, since multi-stakeholder processes are complex and time consuming, and the implementation of sector strategies must include sector-level human resources and management systems.  

Aled Williams, Gulnaz Isabekova, Kubanychbek Ormuchev, Toktobek Omokeev and Natalai Zakharchenko. 2013. Leaking Projects: Corruption and Local Water Management in Kyrgyzstan. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Practice Insight no. 2013:3) 8 p. http://www.u4.no/publications/leaking-projects-corruption-and-local-water-management-in-kyrgyzstan/  

Poor water infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan from the Soviet era led international donors to support investments in agricultural irrigation and potable freshwater systems. The financial investments made, however, did not always underpin improvements in local water delivery. This U4 Practice Insight contrasts two project approaches to local water management in Kyrgyzstan from an anti-corruption perspective, including agricultural irrigation projects involving water user associations (WUAs) and a large-scale potable freshwater project entitled Taza Suu, which did not involve WUAs. It examines the extent to which project goals were affected by issues of corruption and fraud, and identifies lessons for future donor engagement in the country’s local water sector. These include the need for paying greater attention to the local political economy, for greater transparency and clarity of bidding procedures and the requirements for entering the tender process, for more stringent monitoring and evaluation procedures involving multiple stakeholders, and for improving the quality of the technical assessments used to establish baselines for some WUA projects. Further research into the governance characteristics underpinning the most effective WUA projects should be conducted.  

OECD. 2011. Water Governance in OECD Countries: A Multi-Level Approach. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/water-governance-in-oecd-countries_9789264119284-en  

This report addresses multilevel governance challenges in water policy implementation and identifies good practices for coordinating water policy across ministries, between levels of government and across local actors at the sub-national level. Based on a methodological framework, it assesses the main "coordination gaps" in terms of policy making, financing, information, accountability, objectives and capacity building, and provides a platform of existing governance mechanisms to bridge them. Based on an extensive survey on water governance, the report provides a comprehensive institutional mapping of roles and responsibilities in water policy making at national and sub-national levels in 17 OECD countries. It concludes on preliminary multilevel governance guidelines for integrated water policy and recommendations for practitioners and researchers involved in water and sanitation sector governance.  

Maria Gonźalez de Asís, Donal O’Leary; Per Ljung And John Butterworth. 2010. Improving Transparency, Integrity and Accountability in Water Supply and Sanitation. Washington D.C.: The World Bank. 200pp. https://www.oecd.org/env/outreach/44475062.pdf  

This manual, which was developed under the Open and Participatory Government Program at the municipal level (Gap Municipal Programme), argues that tackling corruption in municipal water supply and sanitation services requires a holistic approach, focusing on governance reform and particularly on developing and implementing anti-corruption strategies at the sectoral and institutional levels. The manual consists of five modules analysing the nature of corruption in the sector, investigative tools to determine the extent of corruption, tools to address corruption, as well as case studies and information on the creation and implementation of action plans.  

John Butterworth and Jean de la Harpe. 2009. Not So Petty: Corruption Risks in Payment and Licensing Systems for Water. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Brief 2009:26). http://www.u4.no/publications/...  

The water “business” involves large numbers of consumers using water in different ways including households, industries and farms. Management of water at the user level, and the associated collection of charges or fees, carries a potential corruption risk. This U4 Brief focuses on the risks at the service provider/consumer interface associated with the small but numerous transactions involved in service payments or maintenance. The article looks at how donors and local governments can help prevent petty corruption. The related losses of revenue and harm to consumer confidence can seriously threaten the financial sustainability and viability of service providers. This article serves as a good introduction to corruption at the point of service delivery in the water sector.  

John Butterworth and Jean de la Harpe. 2009. Improving the Framework? Institutional Reform and Corruption in the Water Sector. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Brief 2009:28) 4 pp. http://www.u4.no/publications/...  

This U4 Brief looks at institutional reform in the water sector, such as separating the provision and regulatory roles, decentralisation and seeking alternative institutional options for the provision of water services, including corporatisation and privatisation, and provides examples illustrating the actors and processes involved. An underlying premise is that corruption is persistent and manifests itself dynamically, challenging any pursuit of an ideal set of institutional arrangements. It suggests that more effort should be focused on effective regulation and oversight to address corruption. It examines how donor support to water sector institutional reform could potentially open space for corrupt practices and how donors can minimise or prevent these risks. In particular, the authors argue that while using aid modalities such as direct budget support and sector budget support is in line with the Paris Declaration, these modalities presuppose a partnership based on efficiency, transparency, honesty and good governance, with minimal corruption.  

John Butterworth. 2009. Grand Designs: Corruption Risks in Major Water Infrastructure Projects. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Brief 2009:27). http://www.u4.no/publications/...  

From dams and dykes to urban sanitation systems, the article provides a detailed introduction to corruption in water sector infrastructure and outlines the areas vulnerable to corruption in water infrastructure. The author provides a case study of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, a landmark case which showed the vulnerability of donor-backed trans-boundary water projects. The article concludes by offering advice to donors and practitioners to establish transparent and accountable procurement processes and management systems in major infrastructure projects.  

Transparency International. 2008. Global Corruption Report: Corruption in the Water Sector. http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/global_corruption_report_2008_corruption_in_the_water_sector  

This report provides an in-depth look at issues related to corruption in the water sector, the scope and nature of corruption challenges and strategies to address them. The report shows that corruption is a cause and catalyst for the current water crisis, which is likely to be further exacerbated by climate change. Corruption affects all aspects of the water sector, from water resource management to drinking water services, irrigation and hydropower. Scholars and professionals document the impact of corruption in the sector, with case studies from around the world offering practical suggestions for reform. After providing an introduction about the nature and scope of corruption in the water sector, the report covers four areas: water management, water supply, irrigation, and water for energy use. Each chapter focuses on the nature of the manifestations of corruption in these sectors and case studies. A final chapter is dedicated to policy lessons to combat corruption in the water sector.  

Janelle Plummer. 2007. Making Anticorruption Approaches Work for the Poor: Issues for Consideration in the Development of Pro-poor Anticorruption Strategies in Water Services and Irrigation. http://www.u4.no/recommended-reading/making-anti-corruption-approaches-work-for-the-poor-issues-for-consideration-in-the-development-of-pro-poor-anti-corruption-strategies-in-water-services-and-irrigation/ 

This Swedish Water House report highlights the need for greater attention to the poor in the development of anti-corruption strategies in the water sector, providing some pointers as to how this could look. To this end, the paper first considers how the poor interact with corruption, how they are affected by it, and how they use it to their benefit. It then considers some of the key factors that determine corruption in the water sector as it affects the poor. Finally, borrowing from the efforts of other sectors, it explores some of the key ingredients that might be considered in the development of a pro-poor anti-corruption water sector strategy. This involves getting to know the nature of corruption in water as it affects the poor by disaggregating the types of corruption involving the poor, identifying corrupt practices and opportunities on the value chain, identifying key actors and their incentives in transactions involving the poor (and including the poor in this stakeholder analysis), integrating the poor into macro and institutional reforms and targeting anti-corruption interventions on the poor, among others. This paper concludes by emphasising the importance of pro-poor anti-corruption approaches for the water sector and stresses the need to develop an understanding of the poor and their “water world”. Creating islands of excellence at the project, community and local government levels are key starting points for sector action, and a focus on areas and processes (such as commu­nity management) where the poor are directly affected, all create the shift that is more likely to bring about pro-poor impacts.  

Janelle Plummer and Piers Cross. 2006. Tackling Corruption in the Water and Sanitation Sector in Africa. http://www.wsp.org/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/712200782528_Tackling_Corruption_in_the_Water_and_Sanitation_Sector_in_Africa.pdf 

This article looks at tackling corruption in the water sector in Africa. The authors start by evaluating the scope of the problem, providing insight into how different methodologies for diagnoses can be used by practitioners to understand corruption challenges. The article then considers potential anti-corruption strategies to address the different types of water sector corruption in an integrated manner. The authors conclude on a somewhat sombre note by addressing the challenges of fighting corruption in the water sector in Africa and looking at what has been learned so far.  

Patrik Stålgren. 2006. Corruption in the Water Sector: Causes, Consequences and Potential Reform. Swedish Water House Policy Brief Nr. 4. SIWI, 2006. http://www.waterintegritynetwo...  

This policy brief looks at corruption in the water sector from a practitioner's perspective and aims to offer practical advice about the challenges of fighting corruption in the water sector worldwide. The article begins by providing a taxonomy of corrupt acts related to the water sector and suggests potential reforms to address these challenges, including: i) legal and financial reform; ii) reform on public service delivery systems; iii) reform in the private sector; and iv) public awareness and capacity building. It concludes by providing a set of recommendations to guide practitioners’ actions.