Know any good/bad/ugly stories about corruption in the water sector?

Published on by

The Water Integrity Network (WIN) and partners (Cap-Net,IWMI,GWP,UNESCO-IHE,GIZ,WGF,TI) are looking for evidence-based information on integrity issues in water/energy sector. Please see attached document for more information about the project and for contact details.

'Corruption in the water sector puts the lives and livelihoods of billions of people at risk. As theGlobal Corruption Report 2008demonstrates, the onset of climate change and the increasing stress on water supply around the world make the fight against corruption in water more urgent than ever. Without increased advocacy to stop corruption in water, there will be high costs to economic and human development, the destruction of vital ecosystems, and the fuelling of social tension or even conflict over this essential resource. This report clearly shows that the corruption challenge needs to be recognised in the many global policy initiatives for environmental sustainability, development and security that relate to water.' Access the Report @http://www.transparency.org/research/gcr/gcr_water_sector

4 Answers

  1. Thank you Detlef. This is very interesting.

  2. NUMBERS: - In 2004/5 island total approx. 15,000 calculated p.e. this includes temp. visitors too. No planing existed ever to service all people (p.e. numbers)! By 2003 only 4,109 p.e. (along 500 m village beach line) for 20,000,000 EUR been planed. - By 2008 only approx. 5,000 p.e. will be served only in main village along 500 m beach line using total length of approx. 55 km network. total budget 24,000,000 EUR - By 2013 only 3,000 to 4,000 p.e., because reduction from 500 to only 200 m beach line. Money committed 34,500,000 EUR, but still 8,000,000 EUR missing to make the houses connection (680 numbers of connections in village) to the sewer network. Therefore, the vacuum sewer system is dry up to today. - Dutch Reporter Mr. Joep Dohmen, [http://www.nrc.nl/] calculated independent: 34,500,000 EUR / 680 numbers of house-connections = approx. 50,000 EUR per "house-connection" regardless hotel or small house.

  3. Maybe one result is now very clear at least to me: For proper sanitation money is more them enough available and know-how too, but not enough willingness & stand to do so, by people in charge and confidants! "Money makes greed, and greed devours the brain"

  4. The most expensive [VACUUM] sewer in the world - on island Bonaire, NL Something smells bad in Bonaire. More than 20 years after the need for a sewer system to protect Bonaire’s reef was confirmed, it is about to begin full operation. Its cost has been astronomical [from €20 up to] - €34.5 million - which means each [vacuum-] connection to the 607 households, 73 hotels and businesses costs more than €50,000 each [for 3,000 to 4,000 people (p.e.)]. And that cost is after the project was downsized because the contractor’s price was significantly more than the available funds. The coastal strip where the buildings would be connected, was reduced from 500 meters to 200 meters from the sea, the size of the [vacuum] sewer pipes were specified a smaller diameter and a system malfunction remedy was deleted. The Institute for Water Education in Delft [UNESCO-IHE] concluded that the cost-per-connection is among the highest in the world. There is no doubt that a system to remove wastewater from the coastline is mandatory. Bonaire is surrounded by a coral reef which attracts tourists from around the planet. The reef is harmed when the nutrients from sewage promote the growth of algae which smother the sensitive coral polyps. The newly-installed sewage treatment system will pipe the wastewater from facilities within 200m of the most populated coastal zones to treatment facilities near the center of the island. The treated water will be sold at low prices for agricultural use [flowering hotels]. Concerns about the project were raised as early as [2003] 2004. Motivated by a recent freezing of future funds by the European Commission, a fraud investigation by OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, is escalating. Development funds from the European Commission and The Netherlands have been used to pay for the work. The payments were overseen by the Development Foundation of the Netherlands Antilles (SONA). The allegations of fraud were raised by Kay HETZER, a fired team leader of the company that oversaw the sewer project who testified that, "I had to leave in 2011 because I did not cooperate in the fraud. I always had to pay more than the contractor was permitted under the construction agreement. That amounted to €250,000.” The affair also taints Wilbert STOLTE, who has been the Kingdom Representative (Rijksvertegenwoordiger) for the BES Islands. He was formerly treasurer of SONA, who awarded the contract. Last week it was announced that STOLTE will step down next year. Joep Dohmen, [http://www.nrc.nl/] see: http://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/39-any-other-topic-related-to-sanitation-or-to-susana/6921-the-most-expensive-vacuum-sewer-in-the-world-on-island-bonaire-nl#6921