“Regulation of corruption must start with the companies themselves taking action. Very few Kenyans can tamper with a pipe without the help of the utility staff because they don’t know where it is buried or how it works.”
Eng. Robert Gakubia, Chief Executive, WASREB
Public and private water service providers are at the forefront to address corruption. They have much to lose in terms of reputation and revenue should corruption become a problem in their organization. Likewise, although the process can be difficult and resisted, they have much to gain from pro-actively promoting water integrity.
Several utilities have developed strategies to raise awareness and assess integrity risks. Some utilities have committed to deep reorganization and reform to reduce incidents, integrate user feedback and improve service levels. Several more have focused on ensuring that high risk processes such as procurement are corruption free.
The integrity management toolbox provides guidance on several instruments that can be implemented within an organization and is a practical means to launch processes for water service providers to address their most pressing integrity risks. Water Integrity can also be a component of CSR and ethics and compliance strategies.
Has your organization developed internal strategies on water integrity? Share your case with us
Here are a few examples from our archives:
How ONEA (a Burkinabe utility) reformed and managed the Ziga Dam project:
The integrity challenges and answers of a Ghanaian utility:
Setting up a joint improvement pact with users in Mombasa, Kenya:
How citizen directors helped promote integrity at SEMAPA in Bolivia:
The anti-corruption strategy of the Berliner Wasserbetriebe: