Breaking Corruption’s Grip on the Water Sector

Abstract

"Corruption is increasingly recognised as one of the major challenges facing the water sector. The World Bank estimates that corruption undermines efficiency in the water sector by 20-40%. This scale is significant. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, with its USD 6.7 billion annual price tag to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a 30% leakage is more than USD 20 billion in losses over the next decade. Research published by Transparency International shows that if water utilities in Africa would operate in a corruption-free environment, efficiency would increase by 64%. Put another way, nearly two-thirds of the operating costs for providing water in Africa are due to corruption."