On 22 April 2009, Earth Day, Members of the US House of Representatives, Earl Blumenauer and Donald Payne introduced the Water for the World Act. Building upon the landmark 2005 Water for the Poor Act, this bill sets a goal of providing 100 million of the world’s poorest with sustainable drinking water and sanitation by 2015.

The Act aims to establish an Office of Water within USAID and a Special Coordinator for International Water within the State Department. It would establish programmes in countries of greatest need to build local capacity, strengthen collaboration and promote use of low-cost technologies.

'No other country has set out to reach as many people in need of safe drinking water and basic sanitation in this period of time,' said David Douglas, President of Water Advocates, which endorses the Act. Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter is more critical of the bill, especially the role it attributes to private investment. This, she said 'will only perpetuate the problems that this well-intended act is designed to solve. Instead, we must work with developing countries to implement sound water policies based on public management of this essential resource.

Related news:

• USA: Congressman Payne champions International Year of Sanitation, Source Weekly, 21 Mar 2008
• USA: Congress approves US$ 300 million for Water for Poor Act, Source Weekly, 24 Jan 2008

Web sites:Water for the World Act; Water Advocates; Food & Water Watch - World Water

Sources: Congressman Earl Blumenauer press release, 22 Apr 2009 ; Water Advocates / Earth Times, 27 Apr 2009 ; Food & Water Watch, 23 Apr 2009

Tags: capacity development, financing, sanitation, technology, water supply