The Water Integrity Global Outlook 2024 (WIGO 2024) and its implications for utilities - a conversation with utility managers and experts from Latin America. Leer este artículo en español aquí Integrity is essential to ensure that water and sanitation services are accessible, equitable and sustainable. Corruption and integrity failures remain significant challenges for water and sanitation utilities. In response, innovative tools to assess and improve the integrity of the sector are key. In 2024, the Water Integrity Network (WIN) launched the  Water Integrity Global Outlook  with a focus on finance. The report provides an overview of the risks of corruption and poor integrity in financing, and proposes solutions to reduce the financing gap and improve financial management in the water and sanitation sectors. Here, utilities have an important role to play. Several Latin American utility leaders, as well as sector stakeholders and funders came together on March 26, 2025 for a discussion hosted by WIN in collaboration with  Red de Agua, UNAM and Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica under the auspices of UNESCO . This is an edited summary of the discussion, focusing on the importance of financial integrity in water and sanitation utilities in Latin America. With special guests: Marcello Basani, Water and Sanitation Lead Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Patricia Hernández, Executive Director, National Association of Water and Sewerage Entities (ANEAS) Marcelo Rogora, Director of Integrity and Best Practices, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA) Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, Head of Planning Unit (SeLA Oruro) Eduardo Bohórquez, Executive Director, Transparencia Mexicana Moderator: Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina, Executive Coordinator, Water Network, UNAM and Regional Center for Water Security under the Auspices of UNESCO. View recording " The promotion of transparency and accountability should not be perceived as a threat, but as an opportunity to optimise management and improve services. "  -Marcello Basani, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (IDB) _____ Integrity challenges and opportunities for water and sanitation utilities in Latin America Water and sanitation utilities in Latin America operate in complex environments facing persistent integrity challenges, but they also have a strong basis and potential for action. Strengths Commitment to integrity: Several companies have dedicated integrity units, a fact which demonstrates a growing institutional willingness to fight corruption. Relatively high water access / coverage: The region has higher rates of access to water and sanitation compared to Asia and Africa. Strong legal framework: There are strong legislative measures that guarantee access to water and sanitation as human rights. Active civil society: Civil society organisations play a key role in monitoring and promoting transparency in the sector. Persistent challenges Social inequalities: there is a major gap between access and service levels of water and sanitation between groups, with rural communities and marginalised areas far behind. Institutional instability: High staff turnover and political appointments affect the continuity and efficiency of utilities. Abuse of emergency declarations: Situations such as droughts, floods or health crises (COVID-19) have been used to evade transparent contracting processes. Weaknesses in the judicial system: Impunity and a lack of independence in the judiciary make it difficult to sanction acts of corruption in the sector. Impact of climate change: Extreme events such as prolonged droughts and floods aggravate the water crisis and test the resilience of the system and the capacity of utilities to respond. Risks for environmental defenders: Threats against activists and communities defending water and the environment efforts for fairer and more sustainable management are high and increasing. Opportunities The talk focused on the need to understand integrity not only as a control and sanction mechanism, but also as a key tool to strengthen the water and sanitation sector. Integrity goes much further than control or punishment of corruption. Integrity is also a pillar of continuous improvement and credibility, ensuring that resources are managed efficiently and for the benefit of the company and society. Providers can foster a culture of integrity through incentives and tools that promote good practices. This implies, for example: Awareness raising and training in integrity for all actors in the sector. Use of digital technologies to facilitate monitoring and improve transparency and publication of quality data. Citizen participation spaces that strengthen accountability. " Providers must understand integrity as a tool for improvement, not as a punishment mechanism. Although in some cases it is necessary to resort to sanctions, it is not a matter of punishing for the sake of punishing, but of demonstrating that this is not the right way to go. " - Marcelo Rogora, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA)   a) Integrity for public trust in utilities, through transparency and accountability Citizens depend on water and sanitation services being managed fairly and efficiently. Lack of transparency erodes credibility and trust in utilities and makes it difficult for citizens to participate in monitoring services. This can occur with greater intensity during emergency periods such as droughts or floods. Marcello Basani (IDB) : Standard rules and procedures, such as procurement practices, tend to become more flexible in order to respond more quickly. A clear example is direct contracting, which, if not properly managed, can open the door to corruption risks. For this reason, having transparent and quality data on what is being done is fundamental. But this brings us to a key question: who verifies the quality of this data? Is it the responsibility of the citizenry or of the regulator? And what happens in those contexts where there is no independent or effective regulator? These questions are important pertinent, and can bring valuable insights to the financial integrity debate. Eduardo Bohórquez (Transparencia Mexicana) : Without access to public information , it is difficult to detect and prevent acts of corruption that affect the management of water resources. Furthermore, accountability should not only be a formal exercise , but an effective practice that allows citizens and other stakeholders to monitor how decisions are made and how funds are managed. Open data and real-time monitoring systems can be key allies for more efficient and transparent water management. b) Integrity for utility efficiency, through citizen participation Citizen participation in decision-making, verification data, and monitoring of services is key to improving financial integrity in water management. Users should be more involved in decisions related to tariffs, budgets, planning, and monitoring. This ensures a more efficient use of resources. Patricia Hernández (ANEAS): Involving society in decision-making not only allows utilities to better respond to the real needs of communities , but also builds trust in the institutions in charge of water and sanitation management. c) Integrity for sustainability of the sector, through better data and strong regulation To attract investment and ensure the sustainability of the sector, it is essential that water and sanitation funds are managed with integrity and efficiency. This requires good quality data, clear indicators, good regulation and the support of the regulator. Marcello Basani (IDB): Without reliable and updated information, it is difficult to make strategic decisions that truly respond to the needs of the population and the challenges of the sector. The collection, systematisation and adequate verification of data make it possible to identify corruption risks, improve investment planning and evaluate the impact of projects . Transparency in information management not only strengthens public confidence, but also attracts investment , since financial institutions and donors require guarantees that resources will be used efficiently. La integridad debe entenderse no como una medida draconiana, o que sea únicamente para castigar, sino que sea una oportunidad para mejorar. - Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, SeLA Oruro _____ Best practices of integrity in water and sanitation management in Latin America   Marcello Basani (IDB): Integrity is a fundamental pillar at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), so we have integrated it as a transversal axis in all infrastructure projects. In collaboration with the Office of Institutional Integrity, we have observed that infrastructure investment must be accompanied by strong integrity policies  because without them corruption risks can undermine the benefits of water and sanitation projects. As a mitigation measure, we conduct a risk analysis and trigger monitoring and response actions, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and transparently. Marcelo Rogora (AySA): In Argentina, a joint initiative has been launched between the public and private sectors to enhance integrity within organisations. It is the Integrity and Transparency Register for Companies and Entities (RITE) , created by the Anti-corruption office of Argentina. RITE promotes the adoption of integrity programmes that are adequate and accessible to the general public, thus fostering an organisational culture based on ethics and transparency. In this context, AySA has adhered to RITE as part of its commitment to strengthen its integrity work and reinforce trust in water management. This model allows utilities to adhere to ethical standards and be evaluated based on their commitment to transparency, with a positive impact on both their internal operations and their relationship with the public. Rolando Taquichiri Kussy (SeLA Oruro): In Bolivia, SeLA Oruro has been developing strategies to improve its financial integrity and promote more transparent and efficient management. Some of the most important actions include the implementation of the integrity toolbox , the performance of periodic audits and the promotion of citizen participation in decision-making. Likewise, SeLA Oruro has worked on updating, approving and disseminating its code of ethics, with a particular focus on operational and administrative personnel. In addition, the entity has invested in training its employees and in strengthening whistleblowing mechanisms, ensuring that any irregularities can be detected and addressed in a timely and effective manner. " An integrity approach is important for water and wastewater utilities, although it is a time-consuming, day-to-day job whose effects are seen in the medium and long term. " - Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, SeLA Oruro _____ Conclusion: priority measures to strengthen financial integrity in water and sanitation utilities Water and sanitation utilities play a key role in leading integrity efforts to reduce the negative impact of corruption. They can do this with a number of tools and strategies: Transparency in the use of resources : Publish everything that is done and implement clear processes to track the allocation of funds. This includes the adoption of open contracting and the development of corporate governance standards to prevent conflicts of interest. Promote accountability:  Clearly and effectively explain where resources are going. Increased citizen participation: Encourage dialogue with civil society and involve citizens in decision-making on tariffs, budgets, planning and monitoring of services. Effective integrity risk monitoring : Identify and assess risks in the budget cycle, especially in emergency situations, where direct contracting can generate vulnerabilities to corruption. Collaboration with anti-corruption bodies: Work together with anti-corruption offices and regulatory agencies to strengthen oversight mechanisms and ensure compliance with integrity standards.  Culture of integrity within companies: Promote a leadership committed to transparency and implement integrity training programmes at all levels of the organisation, including senior management, unions, suppliers and operators. Full recording (in Spanish):

We are delighted to welcome our newly elected supervisory board chair, Ede Ijjasz, to the network!  Ede brings with him a wealth of experience in financing, infrastructure, sustainable development, and climate adatpation from his time as a senior manager at the World Bank and now as professor at Georgetown and fellow at Brookings. “Achieving the water and sanitation SDG targets requires not only a massive jump in investments, but a laser-focused step up in transparency and integrity so that the public and water users can trust that their fees and taxes are reverting in water and sanitation service expansion and improvements for all”    -- Ede Ijjasz, new WIN supervisory board chair Ede Ijjasz was elected by the General Assembly at its meeting on November 19. He is taking over the role from Letitia Obeng, who led the board with wisdom and dedication since end 2020. It has been a real honor and privilege to work with Letitia over the years and we thank her sincerely for her contribution to water integrity. Thank you also to all the members of our Board, IRC, Alana Potter, Peter Conze, and Robert Gakubia, who continue to share their time and invaluable knowledge with us to change the water and sanitation sectors with integrity.

No Reason, No Room, No Reprieve: The basics of an effective integrity strategy  The world needs around $114 billion each year to fund the capital costs of ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation services. Up to a quarter of this may be lost to corruption and integrity failures. Up to half of it, if you include mismanagement in infrastructure projects. Corruption in water and sanitation undermines efforts to provide decent services, drives up costs of already underfunded systems, erodes public trust, and leaves behind poor-quality and inadequate infrastructure. As always, marginalised communities are hit the hardest.  --- The cost of inaction on corruption in water and sanitation is unacceptably high  For water and sanitation professionals, integrity can’t be just a lofty statement – integrity is a practical necessity that must be built into every aspect of our work . But how can we make integrity actionable?    There are many ways to act and no blueprints - context and capacities matter. A lot. Still, it’s important to remember that measures in individual water and sanitation organisations and projects can work, and are important, and that sector-based anti-corruption programmes can be extremely effective.      Consider this example : you’re recording meter readings, site measurements, or feedback from the community. Do you use a pencil, a pen, or a GPS-enabled smartphone? Which method can be more easily manipulated? Which one leaves most room for errors or bribery?   Such seemingly simple decisions can have significant impacts on the finances available for the delivery of services and the effective use of those finances. The choices may often, of course, be more complex, but integrity risks, whether small or complex, are present throughout the life cycle of a project, and addressing them requires careful attention to detail and balanced responses .   --- Addressing integrity risks Once you are aware of risks, what then? Let’s take our little example further.   After deciding on a method for record-keeping, how do you ensure it’s done with integrity? You could ban all pencils, double-check records for signs of tampering, or train your team to value transparency. Each option has merit, and none is universally the “right” answer. It’s all about assessing the situation, understanding the risks, and choosing the appropriate response.    In the latest Water Integrity Global Outlook focusing on water and sanitation finance (WIGO) , we outline how anti-corruption and integrity work has evolved over the years. It’s clearer now how to construct and implement an effective integrity strategy, one that makes a difference in terms of water and sanitation service quality or programme impact. The evidence is decidedly against just more sanctions or more rules.     --- Combining three pathways for integrity: No Reason, No Room, No Reprieve WIGO outlines three broad pathways for integrity action. For an effective anti-corruption and integrity strategy in water and sanitation (or any other sector, for that matter), the ideal is to combine elements of all three of these pathways .  No Reason: Address root causes  Corruption thrives in environments where it's normalised or where social norms make it easy to rationalise. To prevent this, professionals must shift attitudes and make integrity a clear standard and reference point. Allow no reason for integrity failures.   Example actions to take:  Awareness campaigns and training : Launch initiatives to educate both staff and communities about the long-term harm corruption inflicts.  Ethical leadership : Encourage leadership that prioritises integrity and transparency within their organisations.  Rewarding accountability : Recognise and reward behaviours that demonstrate a commitment to integrity.  No Room: Close the opportunities for corruption  Corruption opportunities can persist due to weak systems. By tightening procedures and implementing safeguards, professionals can limit integrity failures.  Example actions to take:  Opening processes and limiting discretion : Make transactions and key processes -especially procurement- more transparent, digitising where possible. Reduce the number of situations where individuals have unchecked decision-making power, particularly in financial matters.  Clear rules and responsibilities : Establish clear rules and transparent criteria for decision-making processes, leaving no gaps or overlaps in responsibilities.  Getting reinforcements: Get support from civil society and anti-corruption or integrity organisations. Make it possible to share and collaborate on data.   No Reprieve: Detect and sanction, ensuring consequences for corruption  To deter corruption, there must be swift and certain consequences for such behaviour. Detection mechanisms and clear punishments help convey that impunity is not on the menu.  Example actions to take:  Whistleblower protection and redress mechanisms : Ensure safe and anonymous reporting channels and protect whistleblowers.  Risk assessments and data analytics for red flags : Monitor risk and red flags. Big data analytics can help, especially for procurement processes, financial transactions, and project expenses.  Collaborating with Supreme Audit Institutions : Work with external auditors to ensure transparency and accountability in all financial dealings, even in emergencies.    WIGO has more information on the typical risks in water and sanitation finance and examples of no reason, no room, and no reprieve strategies that have been used to address them.     Do you have more cases or examples to share? Please get in touch!

Self-supply is increasingly touted as a route to reach SDG 6. It can be a clear demonstration of community and individual agency, autonomy and self-reliance. Self-supply is, however, often the result of communities stepping into fill gaps in public services, with concomitant equality and sustainability impacts and implications. Self-supply in no way exempts states of their obligations to progressively realise the human rights to water, health, and food. It can only be a successful model if it is actively supported by governments - financially, technically, legally, and institutionally. A post by Alana Potter (Equality Collective), Rebecca Sands (WIN), and Barbara van Koppen (IWMI), Part of the Water Integrity Global Outlook: Finance series. Self-supply: What and why? Self-supply is a term used when individuals or groups independently develop, operate, and/or maintain their own water or sanitation systems. Individuals and groups can self-supply for domestic or productive uses, on a large or a small scale, for part or all of water-related infrastructure from source to use. The practice of self-supply has occurred for many years, both with and without government support. It has declined in some countries - and some areas within countries - and increased in others. This blog post focuses on self-supply that exists as a de facto response to unreliable or absent public services, prevalent in both rural and urban, low- and middle-income groups. Self-supply can be promoted as a sustainable, community-led solution, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. It is often an expression of self-sufficiency and can be seen as a resistance to dependency on unreliable state provision or corrupt systems. However, it most often reflects a failure of governments to adequately invest in water services delivery. Self-supply may also be the result of weak or corrupt governance contributing to a failure to deliver water services. Inadequate investment disproportionately affects marginalised groups, who are left with no choice but to develop and manage their own systems. It can be a costly burden, especially for women and the poorest households. It can result in reliance on contaminated or untested water sources, and it may impact water availability. When water sources dwindle during droughts, powerful parties may take more than their fair share of water, depriving smallholders and pastoralists of water for livestock, irrigation and domestic uses. Showing off the storage of the self-supply system in Tshakhuma, Vhembe, South Africa. (photo shared by B. van Koppen, 2016) Self-supply and human rights The human rights to water and sanitation entitle everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses, and to physical and affordable access to sanitation in all spheres of life which is safe, hygienic, secure, socially and culturally acceptable, and which provides privacy and dignity. Yet, 2.2 billion people do not have access to safe water, while 3.4 billion people still do not have access to safe sanitation . Under international human rights law, states are required to respect, protect, and fulfil people's rights, including the right to water and sanitation. There is progress towards universal access to water and sanitation, but the pace in low-income countries would need to be multiplied twenty-fold to deliver safe clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for all by 2030 . There is also much progress to be made to protect self-supply for productive uses that contribute to meeting the right to food. Mechanisms to protect small-scale water users from more powerful upstream users or users sharing the same aquifer, are underdeveloped. Yet, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation also recommends clearly that “ water for life should be given the highest priority” over other water uses . Self-supply for personal or productive use fills the gaps where progress is inadequate. Benefits of self-supply Self-supply can be a powerful demonstration of community agency. It represents the tenacity of people and groups who are not ordinarily provided with water and who often work and live informally or in areas where regulatory oversight is limited or absent. Because self-supply solutions are primarily implemented by communities themselves, they are likely to be locally appropriate and cost efficient . These solutions can also improve resilience and flexibility . They can aid communities to manage water for various uses , including household drinking water, other domestic uses, water for food production and livestock, or other small-scale enterprise uses. In a context where political vagaries render government support unreliable, leveraging local resources, knowledge, and investments by households can improve the longevity of infrastructure. Self-supply can also meet aspirations for higher levels of service than those included in minimum service level parameters, which do not always meet the human rights’ standards of accessibility, affordability or acceptability. Four schoolboys fixing a water pipe near Jos, Nigeria. Photo by Mac Mullengz - WIN photo competition 2020 Drawbacks of self-supply Equality issues: Self-supply is not just the result of inequality, but also a root cause of widening inequalities, especially among marginalised groups who cannot afford to invest in their own systems or where decision-making is dominated by powerful or influential individuals/groups within or outside a community. The need to self-supply, without government support, places immense pressure on communities. It can make their access to essential services discretionary and reliant on systems of patronage and unequal social capital. More, where self-supply isn’t officially permitted, the risk of criminalisation and its impacts can be very high. Health risks: Abstracting from unsafe sources severely compromises health and well-being, and addressing water quality issues is paramount. Reliability and sustainability issues: Self-supply is, in general, unregulated, and hence, unprotected. Over-abstraction of water sources, contamination, and seasonal variability, often driven by more powerful users like large-scale agricultural, property development or business use, can affect the reliability of self-supply systems, impacting on the human rights of poor communities in particular. Costs: Self-supply can be costly, particularly for communities in precarious economic situations who are not able to rely on government support for spare parts, materials, or maintenance and monitoring support. Even where self-supply is cost-efficient in financial terms, it still involves significant unpaid effort by community members that are already struggling to make ends meet. Transparency issues: Unsupported self-supply is also often invisible. There is little information available to enable better management and accountability, including for example on groundwater abstraction, costs, or accessibility. What then? Addressing issues through supported self-supply In progressively realising the right to water, including water for health and food, governments must ensure that everyone can access safe, affordable, and culturally acceptable water services, regardless of location or how the service is provided. This means they cannot roll back service or interfere negatively with existing access to water (or toilets). Despite this, self-supply is criminalised in many countries. Communities without access to public services are blocked from self-providing or arbitrarily cut off from their own water supply. Government must also use the maximum available resources to provide water to all residents in their jurisdiction, adhering to human rights principles such as equality, non-discrimination, participation, access to information, transparency, accountability, and sustainability. This is especially important with respect to safeguarding the rights of marginalised groups, many of whom are self-providing. The obligation to provide water services requires that governments create an enabling legal and regulatory environment; ensure inclusive, inter-sectoral planning; put financing mechanisms in place; develop water infrastructure; put appropriate institutional arrangements in place for ongoing provision of the service; and monitor water quality and other standards. Self-supply can contribute to progressive realisation and be co-created with communities. Governments are still obliged to create an enabling environment for progressive realisation of the right to water, including through self-supply. Support can include: Enabling legal and regulatory frameworks: Supported self-supply must be recognised in policies, guidelines, and bylaws. This can include for example the recognition of and engagement with community-based organisations as legal entities and as official water services providers. Also key is formal recognition of water for small-scale productive use, and better enforcement of regulations on large-scale users and corporates that abstract and pollute rivers or groundwater sources that downstream communities rely on. Financial support: Governments can creatively provide financial support for self-supply. Financing mechanisms could include “smart” subsidies, targeted support to highly vulnerable groups, prioritising affordable technologies, or combinations of these and other mechanisms to reduce the financial burden on water users themselves. In developing financing strategies for the provision of water, the costs of self-supply to particularly poor communities, should be quantified and recognised. Inclusive and inter-sectoral planning: Planning and infrastructure development for supported self-supply must prioritise participatory design, with communities at the forefront of decision-making. As the primary managers of their own systems, communities are best positioned to determine what works for them, and governments need to recognise and build on existing self-supply efforts and local expertise. Inclusive planning also works to help prevent elite capture within vulnerable communities. Governments must work to link different initiatives and align self-supply efforts with broader water sector planning including for sanitation, electricity, roads, land use management, and housing. Experiences from Zambia and Zimbabwe demonstrate that cross-sectoral collaboration, with various ministries working together at the local level, significantly enhanced the effectiveness of supported self-supply. This approach also contributed to progress on several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to health, nutrition, and water. Technical and institutional support: It is essential that governments engage with, and provide technical support to, individual households and community-based providers, including guidance on contextually appropriate technical options and training and capacity building for spring protection, safely managing wells, and managing water quality among others. Support is also needed to advance technologies, to manufacture and sell affordable pumps, including solar pumps, manual drilling, storage tanks, household treatment and other devices. This requires widespread technical training. Monitoring: Monitoring, ideally in collaboration with communities is essential to ensure continued safe and secure access to water via self-supply. Key elements to track are water quality, construction standards, surface and groundwater availability, and pollution and abstraction by other actors. Alongside the physical and technical aspects, tracking the implementation of water and sanitation policies, standards, and plans on a regular basis, including the expansion of services to marginalised and disadvantaged groups needs to occur. Monitoring costs and integrity risks is also key to addressing issues around equality and discrimination. Supported self-supply: the way forward Without formal support, self-supply puts both urban and rural communities at significant risk, particularly as climate change unfolds. Community-driven, supported self-supply should be viewed as one of several solutions to achieving universal access to water and sanitation and improve resilience. Indeed, self-supply is already a reality and can play a crucial role where centralised water infrastructure is impractical or too costly. But government must be held accountable for their obligations. They can play a key role in providing vulnerable communities with the required assistance to make supported self-supply practicable and sustainable. What is non-negotiable is adequate and well-targeted support to enable communities to realise their rights to water, food, and life. This requires relationships built on trust. It requires frameworks guided by the human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination as well as the integrity principles of transparency, accountability, participation, and anti-corruption.

When we talk about integrity risks and failures in urban settlements, what do we really mean?  How do these issues play out for people moving to or living in a growing city? What are the challenges of water tanker operators and other service providers?  Let’s take a look at the city of Lima.  Many residents of Lima live in what are known as ‘asentimientos humans,’ or 'human settlements'. These are generally densely populated regions on the margins of the city, often on steep slopes where residents don’t always have land tenure. Residents generally do not have access to networked water or sanitation services. Some self-supply, some purchase water from tankers or informal providers, some organise themselves to collect, transport and pay for water from public, metered water fountains set up at the edge of the piped network.  Making all these systems work is a complicated and undervalued challenge, sometimes fraught with integrity dilemmas. Overall it sort of holds up, but the system is unfair, unreliable, and leaking at the seams. That’s where integrity risks and failures are.  From ignoring or bypassing water quality checks, to asking for bribes or giving preferential treatment, from ignoring human rights obligations, to taking advantage of people in desperate circumstances. Integrity failures take many shapes and colours.  Here are a few ways in which they effect, Manuel, Carla, Maria and thousands of other in Lima.  Keen to know more?  Check out our free online course on integrity and the human rights to water and sanitation in Lima.  Based on the course developed by the Water Integrity Network and Urbes Lab in collaboration with PUCP and Cap-Net, supported by SMUS, TU Berlin. SMUS - The Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Cuando hablamos de fallas de integridad en asentamientos humanos, ¿a qué nos referimos realmente? ¿Cómo afectan estas fallas a las personas que migran a las ciudades? ¿Qué desafíos enfrentan los operadores de camiones cisterna y otros proveedores de servicios? Veamos el caso de la ciudad de Lima.  Muchos habitantes de Lima residen en lo que se conoce como asentamientos humanos. Son zonas densamente pobladas ubicadas en las periferias de la ciudad, a menudo en laderas empinadas, donde los residentes no siempre posen títulos de propiedad sobre el terreno. Por lo general, estos asentamientos no cuentan con acceso a servicios de agua o saneamiento conectados a la red. Algunos residentes se abastecen de manera independiente, otros compran agua a camiones cisterna o proveedores informales, y hay quienes se organizan comunitariamente para recolectar, transportar y pagar el agua proveniente de pilones públicos, los cuales son puntos de agua ubicados al borde de la red principal y cuentan con un medidor.   Hacer que todos estos sistemas funcionen es un reto complejo y poco reconocido, cargado de dilemas de integridad. Aunque el sistema, en términos generales, funciona, lo hace de manera desigual, está sobrecargado y presenta múltiples filtraciones. Es ahí donde surgen las fallas de integridad.  Estas fallas se manifiestan de muchas formas: Desde el incumplimiento a los controles de calidad del agua, hasta la solicitud de sobornos o concesión de tratos preferenciales; desde la falta de respeto a los derechos humanos, hasta el aprovechamiento de personas en situaciones de vulnerabilidad. Las fallas de integridad se manifiestan y materializan de muchas maneras.  Aquí te mostramos cómo afectan estos problemas a Manuel, Carla, María y a miles de personas más en Lima.  ¿Quieres saber más? Explora  nuestro curso en línea gratuito sobre integridad y los derechos humanos al agua y al saneamiento en Lima.   Basado en el curso desarrollado por Water Integrity Network y Urbes Lab en colaboración con la PUCP y Cap-Net, con el apoyo de SMUS, TU Berlin. SMUS, The Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability, está financiado por el Servicio Alemán de Intercambio Académico (DAAD) con fondos del Ministerio Federal Alemán de Cooperación Económica y Desarrollo (BMZ).

FREE ONLINE COURSE Introductory level. Self-paced (4 modules, about 20 hours). Open now (until November 15, 2025). Register here . A deep dive into the practicalities of responding to the corruption and integrity failures threatening water and sanitation services in urban settlements in the city of Lima, Peru. This course shows the ways residents of informal settlements cope with service failures and integrity issues, highlighting the gaps between reality and universal access to adequate water and sanitation. The course also shows the technical, financial, and integrity challenges for service providers working in the area, the solutions they bring to the table, and the way integrity is crucial for their work. Participants explore how integrity failures impact access to water and sanitation at different spatial scales: city, neighbourhood, and household scale. They learn about what can be done at each of these scales to promote integrity in complex settings and address inequalities. Course outline: Module 1: Key concepts Module 2: City scale Module 3: Neighbourhood scale Module 4: Household scale Who is this course for? Political decision-makers, professionals, civil society advocates, regulatory entities, and water and sanitation utility staff. Students and researchers in social and technical disciplines. Urban planners, engineers, and architects. Language The course (with certification) is in Spanish. Key course videos are also available in English here. Download a course description in pdf: In Spanish: In English:   Based on the course developed by the Water Integrity Network and Urbes Lab in collaboration with PUCP and Cap-Net, supported by SMUS, TU Berlin. SMUS - The Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Why we need strong NRW managers and a new approach By Barbara Schreiner, Executive Director (WIN) LEER EL ARTÍCULO AQUÍ / LIRE EN FRANCAIS ICI 346 million cubic metres of water lost each day. $39 billion lost annually. Non-Revenue Water (NRW) is a challenge globally in the provision of safe drinking water, leading to massive water and financial losses. It significantly undermines progress towards achieving universal access in both developed and developing nations. Reducing NRW results in financial savings and improved service reliability. It can also alleviate the pressure on water resources in rapidly growing cities, contributing to climate resilience. A number of utility managers are making progress in tackling NRW, for example with dedicated programmes, teams, and data monitoring. However many efforts are not entirely successful. Poor governance, corruption, and malfeasance exacerbate both physical and commercial losses that make up NRW. Yet NRW reduction efforts rarely address these factors. For NRW programmes to be more effective and sustainable, it is critical that we understand root issues and the links with poor integrity. What's your take? How are you tackling integrity risks in your NRW programme? Share your views, contribute to our working paper. Corruption has an intricate relationship with non-revenue water Utilities operating in countries with higher levels of corruption tend to experience greater water losses. Corruption affects various aspects of water management, from the quality of infrastructure to billing practices and operational efficiency. Procurement, construction, and maintenance projects tainted by corruption often result in substandard infrastructure prone to leaks and breakages, contributing to increased NRW. Illegal connections and meter tampering (particularly by large water users or when facilitated by staff) further exacerbate commercial losses for utilities. Nepotism and cronyism within water utilities can lead to the appointment of unqualified personnel or contractors, compromising the effectiveness of NRW reduction intiatives. Corruption diverts funds intended to essential projects, impeding efforts to upgrade infrastructure and implement leak detection technologies. Furthermore, corrupt practices erode trust between water service providers and customers, reducing the willingness to pay for services. Comprehensive non-revenue water and integrity strategies are needed, across utility departments Addressing corruption in the water sector is essential for successful NRW reduction. A comprehensive approach involving legal, technological, and governance solutions is necessary to mitigate the risk of corruption and improve water management practices. Improving financial management, strengthening procurement processes, enforcing anti-corruption laws, and promoting transparency and accountability are crucial steps in combating corruption within water utilities. Embracing advanced technologies such as smart meters and automated leak detection systems can enhance the efficiency of water distribution systems and minimise opportunities for corruption. Professionalising water utilities through merit-based hiring and training programs can help mitigate the influence of nepotism and cronyism, fostering a culture of competence and integrity within the sector. Moreover, encouraging public participation and awareness can empower citizens to hold authorities accountable and act as a check on corrupt practices. Reliable data is also essential for informed decision-making, highlighting the importance of accurate meter readings, billing, and data management systems. Emerging questions for best practice non-revenue water management This far-reaching impact of corruption has direct impacts on how best to manage NRW programmes. Having a dedicated NRW team, as a number of utilities already have, seems like a good approach. Is it the best one? What are the key elements to consider to make these teams most effective? What skills do staff need to have? Are NRW proffessionals sufficiently independent ? Do they have the power to tackle management issues in different departments? Can they access the data they need from across the organisation? Do they have sufficient support from higher management to ask tough questions, including around corruption and integrity challenges or company culture and norms? Do they have the knowledge and skills to deal with corruption and integrity risks? Are they able to collaborate effectively with auditing or compliance colleagues , and to engage with external oversight mechanisms and civil society to strengthen monitoring of leaks and issues? Can external contractors, even with performance-based contracts, sufficiently address the internal governance mechanisms that affect NRW? Are staff across the organisation aware of the standards of conduct they are meant to work by? Do they know what to do when faced with a tricky situation? Will they be safe if they say something about it? In addition, a focus on corruption and integrity issues brings up questions about the definition of NRW. Is it time to broaden our categorisation of NRW components to explicitly recognise acts of malfeasance? Many tables defining NRW highlight only water theft as a component. What about bribery for a favourable meter reading? What happens when we don't have just errors in readings and billings but active data manipulation? What is behind unbilled, authorised consumption and how much results from undue interference ? Strong, accurate asset management and billing systems are critical to effective NRW reduction strategies, also with an integrity focus. Data analysis can be very revealing. What should we measure and look at more closely to identify red flags for corruption or poor integrity? What data are teams already using to support their decisions on NRW? Which indicators (like repeated identical billing amounts) should we definitely keep track of? Photo by Wallace Mawire of a water leak in a street of Harare, WIN photo competition 2016. With thanks. Reducing non-revenue water must be a continuous process and a strategic priority By addressing the root causes of corruption, implementing robust legal frameworks, embracing technology, and promoting transparency, we can support NRW reduction and contribute to the equitable and efficient use of water resources for current and future generations. The fight against corruption in the water sector is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for securing access to clean water for all. We are gathering inputs on strategies to more effectively and sustainably address NRW with an approach that takes into account important drivers like poor integrity. We are eager to hear your views. Comment below or on Linkedin, or get in touch at info@win-s.org . Disclaimer: At WIN we value honest and open discussion. We are a multi-stakeholder network and our site brings together perspectives from across the board. Not all views expressed here reflect official policies .

CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THOSE BASED ON THE WEFE NEXUS APPROACH CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WITH INTEGRITY “Cooperation is critical to achieving all water-related goals and targets.” This is the first sentence in the latest UN World Water Development Report (WWDR) of March 2023 . The importance of partnerships was also a refrain of the UN 2023 Water Conference. We’ve been hearing for years that water sector stakeholders need to stop working in silos, especially with rising threats from climate change. This is not new. Especially not for those of us managing WRM and IWRM programmes, or developing basin management plans and watershed initiatives, or setting up multi-stakeholder initiatives bringing together public, private, and civil society organisations, like the numerous initiatives already highlighted in the WWDR. The calls for partnerships are indeed crucial. The fact that they are repeated hints at a deeper issue: effective cooperation is far from easy. No one has the secret sauce, especially for multi-stakeholder or cross-sector partners. Indeed, the WWDR summarises rightly that: “each party invariably comes with its own knowledge, perceptions, interests, positions and objectives, such that disagreements on priorities and strategies are commonplace. While partnerships and cooperation, at all levels, overwhelmingly deliver positive outcomes, in rare occasions, they can institutionalize exclusion, distort resource allocations and encourage fragmentation.” What can we do about these challenges? How do we make our own partnerships work better for water resilience? We believe integrity is one key ingredient of the secret sauce. And it deserves more attention for three main reasons: Integrity is a way to build trust and develop common ground among different partners Where governance structures are fractured, complex, or vulnerable to capture by more powerful partners, integrity can contribute to more balanced decision-making and limit accountability gaps There are high integrity risks in water and natural resource management that need to be taken into account directly for partnerships to be effective, serve the public interest, and secure funding. Integrity can be operationalised in partnerships through the principles of Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Anti-corruption. There are guidelines to do this in practice for water stewardship initiatives for example, where public and private interests can clash. Other crucial partnerships where integrity is essential are cross-sector partnerships for water resilience, for example those under the WEFE nexus approach. CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION: THE EXAMPLE OF THE WATER – ENERGY – FOOD – ECOSYSTEMS NEXUS It is likely that, as climate change threats continue to impact water and therefore lives, livelihoods and energy security, the calls for collaboration beyond the water sector will grow. The Water Energy Food Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus approach (or Water Energy Food (WEF) Nexus) is a primary decision-making framework for cross-sector collaboration. Its purpose is to balance the different interests that compete for scarce natural resources, prevent and resolve conflicts over their use and exploitation, and secure their long-term availability (Aboelnga et al., 2018). The WEFE Nexus approach is relevant for partners working in water resource management because it can enable a more integrated and complete appreciation of risks, prevent maladaptation , ensure sufficient leverage for change, and open doors to funding. It is still very much a theoretical framework however. In practice, there are many challenges, and also integrity risks. INTEGRITY GUIDELINES FOR THE WEFE NEXUS: STRONG FOUNDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP “The natural resource sectors, including water, energy, food, land and ecosystems, are highly vulnerable to corruption as a result of the significant revenues associated with their exploitation and commercialisation (OECD, n.d.). Corruption in the natural resource sectors is especially high given the role played by governments in the allocation of exploitation rights to private companies. Economic interests and powerful groups on water, energy and food resources can influence decision-making processes to their benefit and away from public interest. Discretionary powers, opaque decision-making processes, and lack of transparency in lobbying activities further exacerbate the risk of corruption affecting the sustainable governance of water, energy, food, and ecosystems.” – A Guideline to Strengthening Integrity in the Governance of the WEFE Nexus Approach With support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), and in partnership with stakeholders of the Nexus Regional Dialogues and the Bonn Water Network, WIN has been exploring WEFE Nexus growing pains with a focus on integrity. Embedding integrity within WEFE Nexus governance and management structures requires the adoption and implementation of measures that support transparency, participation, accountability and anti-corruption. In new guidelines, we defined ways to strengthen WEFE Nexus initiatives with integrity, in four main governance areas: Institutions: which centres on the integrity elements necessary for a good governance of the WEFE Nexus institutions and structures. Information: which refers to all the necessary measures to support a transparent and evidence-based decision-making process. This includes the production, collection and sharing of good quality data; building capacities of people, institutions and organisations; and ensuring transparency and easy access to all information. Investment: which outlines elements to ensure access to long-term funding for WEFE Nexus projects, and the necessary control mechanisms to ensure that funds are not mismanaged or lost to corruption. Implementation : which details the controls, monitoring and reporting mechanisms to guide activities within the project cycle. It centres on inclusive participation within the planning, decision-making and implementation processes. The guidelines can also support practitioners to abide by the WEF Nexus Principles . Download the guidelines:

Investments in water and sanitation translate into effective services to citizens through public procurement. The open contracting approach shines a light on how investment reaches citizens and whether it responds to their needs. Guest post by Umrbek Allakulov, Georg Neumann, Open Contracting Partnership Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) helps transform procurement from an overlooked, underfunded paper-based chore to a digital, data-driven government service that can be an engine for innovation, sustainability and economic inclusion. The latest Water Integrity Global Outlook  highlights how the global water and sanitation sectors are notoriously opaque and vulnerable to corruption. There are many factors at play: fragmented decision-making, technical complexities, natural monopolies, and weak regulatory oversight. Complex financial structures, involving multiple actors and funding sources, further obscure accountability and enable corruption. Yet water and sanitation investments must triple to address the urgent need for more projects, particularly as climate change-induced weather events add costs and require more resilient infrastructure to ensure safe and reliable access.  A crucial question is how to translate that finance into more effective projects and investments on the ground and prevent leakages against governance risks. We need to know where the money is being spent, on what, when, and with whom.  It’s at the level of national and local governments where, through the often technical and invisible process of public procurement, investments in water and sanitation projects translate into a critical public service to citizens. Think of water pipes, sewage treatment plants, pumping stations, chemicals for water purification, construction and maintenance of infrastructure - all of which must go through public procurement processes to keep systems running smoothly.  At the same time, with calls for resources to adapt and mitigate climate change, we need to ensure the billions that will be committed are spent where they are needed most. Yet, the report highlights that “Procurement is the site of the greatest corruption in public expenditure.” How can the sector ensure the scarce financial resources are put into most effective use through public procurement?  To do so, projects need to be implemented with an open contracting approach  at its core.  Projects should be planned with (and not just for) local decision-makers and communities . They must be powered by open, transparent, comprehensive real-time data on public contracts – from the spending all the way to the implementation . This is critical to identify red flags early to ensure projects are delivered effectively.  And they need to embed local feedback, monitoring and advocacy channels throughout the project development process to learn, adapt, and create systemic change. The following two projects provide an insight into how this can be done successfully: Enabling local accountability through open data on public contracts In Buenos Aires’ informal settlements, known as ‘Villas’, streets had no names, and there were no sewers, storm drains, or clean drinking water systems. Civil society organizations, particularly the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ), and residents used access to information and open data as tools to advocate for improved access to public infrastructure services in the villas.  In one example, residents started asking questions about the construction taking place in their villa, including the new water infrastructure. They identified that the work was being carried out shoddily. Residents could then use the official data available on the public works project and their own experience to raise the problems in official forums such as the Participatory Management Council, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the contract.  Building more resilient communities Together with Indian civic tech collective CivicDataLab, OCP is implementing open contracting strategies to improve natural disaster preparedness, response, and relief that will better protect vulnerable residents. Typically, decisions for funding allocations are based on a “first-come, first-served” approach that prioritizes those who ask for funding first.  With OCP support, CivicDataLab worked with Assam authorities to better protect vulnerable communities from extreme weather events by implementing open contracting strategies for better flood-related procurement. Core to the approach was developing a sophisticated data model  to determine the most critical areas of the state needing investment – rating each district for flood proneness, preparedness and losses and combining procurement data with dozens of other datasets. The project required working with Assam’s Finance Department to structure and standardize data on all flood-related procurement from the last five years. Now, an estimated 6.5 million people benefit from improved flood-related spending.  Results from open contracting in other contexts have delivered far-rippling effects, carrying important lessons for the water and sanitation sectors. For example, Prozorro helped reduce healthcare spending by over 18% in Ukraine . Similarly, the  Colombian government achieved savings of estimated 10–15%  in the provision of school meals by implementing an open contracting approach. Implementing these savings and increasing cost-efficiency could be a game changer for the underinvested water and sanitation sectors.  It’s time to dive into open contracting to improve integrity and transparency in water and sanitation sector finance! Disclaimer: At WIN we value honest and open discussion. We are a multi-stakeholder network and our site brings together perspectives from across the board. Not all views expressed here reflect official policies .

Una conversación basada en la publicación Panorama Mundial de la Integridad del Agua 2024 (WIGO 2024) con expertos de América Latina Read this article in English here La integridad es un pilar fundamental para garantizar que los servicios de agua y saneamiento sean accesibles, equitativos y sostenibles. En un contexto donde la corrupción y las fallas de integridad siguen siendo desafíos significativos, contar con herramientas innovadoras que permitan evaluar y mejorar la integridad del sector es clave para su fortalecimiento. En el año 2024, la Red de Integridad de Agua (WIN, Water Integrity Network) genero la publicación Panorama Mundial de la Integridad del Agua 2024 (WIGO 2024) con un enfoque en las finanzas. El objetivo de este informe es proporcionar una visión global sobre los riesgos de corrupción en la financiación del sector, y mostrar soluciones para reducir la brecha de la financiación y mejorar la gestión financiera en el sector del agua y saneamiento. Aquí, las empresas prestadoras tienen un papel importante que jugar. Este es un resumen de la charla sobre integridad financiera, organizada en colaboración con Red de Agua, UNAM y Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO , 26 de marzo de 2025, en la que se abordaron aspectos importantes sobre la importancia de la integridad financiera en las empresas prestadoras de agua y saneamiento en América Latina. Invitados especiales: Marcello Basani, Especialista Líder de Agua y Saneamiento, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) Patricia Hernández, Directora Ejecutiva, Asociación Nacional de Entidades de Agua y Saneamiento (ANEAS) Marcelo Rogora, Director de Integridad y Buenas Prácticas, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA) Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, Jefe Unidad de Planificación (SeLA Oruro) Eduardo Bohórquez, Director Ejecutivo, Transparencia Mexicana Moderador: Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina, Coordinador Ejecutivo, Red de Agua, UNAM y Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO Ver grabación "La promoción de la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas no debe percibirse como una amenaza, sino como una oportunidad para optimizar la gestión y mejorar los servicios."  -Marcello Basani, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) _____ Desafíos y oportunidades para las empresas prestadoras de agua y saneamiento en América Latina Las empresas prestadoras de servicios de agua y saneamiento en América Latina operan en entornos complejos que presentan tanto retos como oportunidades para fortalecer la integridad y mejorar la prestación de los servicios. Fortalezas Compromiso con la integridad: Varias empresas cuentan con unidades especializadas en integridad, lo que demuestra una creciente voluntad institucional para combatir la corrupción. Cobertura relativamente alta: La región presenta mayores tasas de acceso a agua y saneamiento en comparación con Asia y África. Marco legal sólido: Existen medidas legislativas firmes que garantizan el acceso al agua y saneamiento como un derechos humanos. Sociedad civil activa: Organizaciones de la sociedad civil desempeñan un papel clave en la vigilancia y promoción de la transparencia en el sector. Retos persistentes Desigualdades sociales: La brecha en el acceso a servicios de agua y saneamiento sigue siendo un desafío, especialmente en comunidades rurales y zonas marginales. Inestabilidad institucional: La alta rotación de personal y los nombramientos políticos afectan la continuidad y eficiencia de las empresas prestadoras. Abuso de declaraciones de emergencia: Situaciones como sequías, inundaciones o crisis sanitarias (COVID-19) han sido utilizadas para evadir procesos de contratación transparente. Debilidad en el sistema judicial: La impunidad y la falta de independencia del poder judicial dificultan la sanción de actos de corrupción en el sector. Impacto del cambio climático: Eventos extremos como sequías prolongadas e inundaciones agravan la crisis hídrica y ponen a prueba la resiliencia del sistema. Riesgos para defensores ambientales: El aumento de las amenazas contra activistas y comunidades que defienden el agua y el medio ambiente pone en riesgo los esfuerzos por una gestión más justa y sostenible. _____ Hablemos de integridad Uno de los enfoques más destacados en esta charla fue la necesidad de entender la integridad no solo como un mecanismo de control y sanción, sino como una herramienta clave para fortalecer el sector del agua y saneamiento. "Las empresas prestadoras deben entender la integridad como una herramienta para mejorar, no como mecanismo de castigo. Si bien en algunos casos es necesario llegar a las sanciones, no se trata de castigar por castigar mismo, sino demostrar de que este no es el camino correcto." - Marcelo Rogora, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA)   Más allá de castigar la corrupción, las empresas prestadoras deben fomentar una cultura de integridad a través de incentivos y herramientas que promuevan buenas prácticas. Esto implica, por ejemplo: Sensibilización y capacitación en integridad para todos los actores del sector. Uso de tecnologías digitales que faciliten la supervisión y mejorar la transparencia y publicación de datos de calidad. Espacios de participación ciudadana que fortalezcan la rendición de cuentas. Al adoptar este enfoque, la integridad se convierte en un pilar de mejora continua y de credibilidad, asegurando que los recursos se gestionen con eficiencia y en beneficio de la empresa y la sociedad. La transparencia y la rendición de cuentas son esenciales para la confianza pública Los ciudadanos dependen de que los servicios de agua y saneamiento sean administrados de manera justa y eficiente. La falta de transparencia de la información puede erosionar la credibilidad y confianza en las empresas prestadoras y dificultar la participación ciudadana en la supervisión de los servicios. Esto puede ocurrir con mayor intensidad en periodos de emergencia como sequias o inundaciones. Eduardo Bohórquez (Transparencia México): Sin acceso a la información pública, es difícil detectar y prevenir actos de corrupción que afectan la gestión de los recursos hídricos. Además, la rendición de cuentas no debe ser solo un ejercicio formal, sino una práctica efectiva que permita a la ciudadanía y a otros actores supervisar cómo se toman las decisiones y cómo se manejan los fondos. Los datos abiertos y los sistemas de monitoreo en tiempo real pueden ser aliados clave para una gestión más eficiente y transparente del agua. Marcello Basani (BID): En situaciones de emergencia, la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas suelen estar en riesgo. Las normas y los procedimientos habituales, como las prácticas de adquisiciones tienden a flexibilizarse para responder con mayor rapidez. Un ejemplo claro es la contratación directa que, si no se gestiona adecuadamente, puede abrir la puerta a riesgos de corrupción. Por eso, contar con datos transparentes y de calidad sobre lo que se hace es fundamental. Pero esto nos lleva a una pregunta clave: ¿Quién verifica la calidad de esos datos? ¿Es responsabilidad de la ciudadanía o del ente regulador? ¿Y qué sucede en aquellos contextos donde no existe un regulador independiente o eficaz? Estas preguntas no solo son pertinentes, sino que pueden aportar reflexiones valiosas al debate sobre la integridad financiera. La participación ciudadana fortalece la eficiencia de las empresas prestadoras La participación ciudadana en la toma de decisiones, la verificación de datos de calidad y en la supervisión de los servicios es clave para mejorar la integridad financiera en la gestión del agua. Los usuarios deben tener una mayor participación en decisiones relacionadas con las tarifas, presupuestos, planificación y supervisión. Patricia Hernández (ANEAS): Involucrar a la sociedad en la toma de decisiones no solo permite responder mejor a las necesidades reales de las comunidades, sino que también fomenta la confianza en las instituciones encargadas de la gestión del agua y saneamiento. La integridad en el financiamiento del agua garantiza la sostenibilidad del sector Para atraer inversiones y garantizar la sostenibilidad del sector, es fundamental que los fondos destinados al agua y saneamiento sean manejados con integridad y eficiencia. Para ello se necesitan datos de buena calidad, indicadores claros, una buena regulación y el apoyo del agente regulador.   Marcello Basani (BID):  Sin información confiable y actualizada, es difícil tomar decisiones estratégicas que realmente respondan a las necesidades de la población y a los desafíos del sector. La recolección, sistematización y verificación adecuada de datos permiten identificar riesgos de corrupción, mejorar la planificación de inversiones y evaluar el impacto de los proyectos . La transparencia en la gestión de la información no solo fortalece la confianza pública, sino que también atrae inversiones , ya que las instituciones financieras y donantes requieren garantías de que los recursos serán utilizados de manera eficiente.   Al adoptar este enfoque, la integridad se convierte en un pilar de mejora continua, asegurando que los recursos se gestionen con eficiencia y en beneficio de la sociedad. La integridad debe entenderse no como una medida draconiana, o que sea únicamente para castigar, sino que sea una oportunidad para mejorar. - Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, SeLA Oruro _____ Buenas prácticas de integridad en la gestión del agua y saneamiento en América Latina   Marcello Basani (BID):  La integridad es un pilar fundamental en el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), por lo que la hemos integrado como un eje transversal en todos los proyectos de infraestructura.  En colaboración con la Oficina de Integridad Institucional, hemos observado que la inversión en infraestructura debe ir acompañada de políticas sólidas de integridad . Sin estos mecanismos, los riesgos de corrupción pueden socavar los beneficios de los proyectos de agua y saneamiento. Como medida de mitigación, realizamos un análisis de riesgo y activamos acciones de monitoreo y respuesta, asegurando así que los recursos sean utilizados de manera eficiente y transparente. Marcelo Rogora (AySA):  En Argentina, se ha puesto en marcha una iniciativa conjunta entre el sector público y al sector privado para potencializar la integridad dentro de las organizaciones. Se trata del Registro de Integridad y Transparencia para Empresas y Entidades (RITE) , creado por la oficina Anti-corrupción de Argentina. El RITE promueve la adopción de programas de integridad adecuados y accesibles al público en general, fomentando así una cultura organizacional basada en la ética y transparencia. En este contexto, AySA se ha adherido al RITE como parte de su compromiso para fortalecer su área de integridad y reforzar la confianza en la gestión del agua. Este modelo permite a las empresas prestadoras adherirse a estándares éticos y ser evaluadas en función de su compromiso con la transparencia, generando un impacto positivo tanto en su operación interna como en su relación con el público. Rolando Taquichiri Kussy (SeLA Oruro): En Bolivia, el Servicio Local de Acueductos y Alcantarillado (SELA Oruro) ha venido desarrollando estrategias para mejorar su integridad financiera y promover una gestión más transparente y eficiente. Entrelas acciones destacadas se encuentra la implementación de la caja de herramientas de integridad, la realización de auditorías periódicas y la promoción de la participación ciudadana en la toma de decisiones. Así mismo, SELA Oruro ha trabajado en la actualización, aprobación y socialización de su código de ética, con un enfoque particular en el personal operativo y administrativo. Además, la entidad ha invertido en la capacitación de sus funcionarios y en el fortalecimiento de los mecanismos de denuncia, asegurando que cualquier irregularidad pueda ser detectada y abordada de manera oportuna y eficaz. Un enfoque de integridad es importante para las empresas de agua y saneamiento, aunque esta requiere de tiempo, es un trabajo del día y día cuyos efectos se ven en el mediano y largo plazo. - Rolando Taquichiri Kussy, SeLA Oruro Medidas para fortalecer la integridad financiera en las empresas prestadoras de agua y saneamiento Las empresas prestadoras de agua y saneamiento juegan un papel fundamental en liderar los esfuerzos en pro de la integridad para reducir el impacto negativo de la corrupción. Esto requiere adoptar medidas para la integridad, como:   Transparencia en el uso de recursos : Publicar todo los que se hace e implementar procesos claros que permitan hacer seguimiento a la asignación de fondos. Esto incluye la adopción de contratación abierta y el desarrollo de normas de gobierno corporativo que prevengan conflictos de interés. Promover la rendición de cuentas: Explicar de manera clara y efectiva hacia dónde van los recursos. Mayor participación ciudadana:  Fomentar el diálogo con la sociedad civil e involucrar a los ciudadanos en la toma de decisiones sobre tarifas, presupuestos, planificación y supervisión de los servicios. Monitoreo efectivo de riesgos de integridad : Identificar y evaluar riesgos en el ciclo presupuestario, especialmente en situaciones de emergencia, donde las contrataciones directas pueden generar vulnerabilidades a la corrupción. Colaboración con organismos anticorrupción:  Trabajar en conjunto con oficinas anticorrupción y agencias reguladoras para fortalecer mecanismos de supervisión y garantizar el cumplimiento de normas de integridad.  Cultura de integridad dentro de las empresas:  Impulsar un liderazgo comprometido con la transparencia e implementar programas de capacitación en integridad en todos los niveles de la organización, incluyendo alta gerencia, sindicatos, proveedores y operadores.   Estas acciones no solo fortalecen la confianza pública en los servicios de agua y saneamiento, sino que también aseguran que los recursos sean utilizados de manera eficiente y en beneficio de toda la comunidad. Ver grabación

La Water Integrity Network (WIN)  y el Centro de Investigación en Teoría Urbana y Territorial URBES-LAB , en cooperación con la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (INCITU-PUCP)   desarrollaron el curso en línea “ Asentamientos Humanos en Lima: Corrupción, Integridad y Acceso al Agua y Saneamiento », con el apoyo de TU Berlín , DAAD  y SMUS .  El contenido de este blog es el resultado de discusiones, talleres y visitas de campo que se realizaron en forma virtual y presencial, en colaboración con académicos, profesionales del sector del agua y saneamiento y miembros de la sociedad civil entre septiembre 2023 y julio 2024.   Fase 1: Planeación y desarrollo del contenido del curso  --- Tiempo y espacio    El curso en línea fue desarrollado con base a la siguiente pregunta: ¿ Cómo afecta la corrupción y fallas integridad la provisión de los servicios de agua y saneamientos en asentamientos humanos y como estos problemas se manifiestan en el espacio urbano?     Para dar respuesta a esta pregunta, adoptamos una perspectiva histórica y multiescalar:   Perspectiva histórica:  Retroceder en el tiempo fue importante para comprender que la exclusión de los asentamientos humanos de los servicios de agua y saneamiento es un problema histórico con raíces en periodos de migración masiva, especulación de tierras y las luchas históricas por asegurar una oferta de vivienda digna.    Perspectiva multiescalar:   Examinar los problemas desde diferentes escalas (ciudad, el barrio y la vivienda) permitió identificar actos de corrupción y fallas de integridad, así como los beneficios de mejorar las prácticas de integridad y rendición de cuentas a estas escalas.   --- Diversidad de enfoques y métodos   Un aspecto fundamental del curso fue su desarrolló por un equipo disciplinario de geógrafos, abogados, sociólogos, arquitectos y diseñadores gráficos, los cuales representaban a diferentes sectores  (academia, ONG, empresa pública). Desde el inicio sabíamos que trabajar con personas de diferentes disciplinas y perspectivas sería un reto, pero el intercambio constante genero relaciones de confianza y creatividad. Además, fue crucial incluir al equipo de diseño desde el principio, ya que era la primera vez que participaban en un proyecto de esta naturaleza.    Los siguientes métodos  fueron utilizados en el desarrollo del curso:   Reuniones y webinars:  Se organizaron una serie de reuniones quincenales para ajustar los contenidos de los módulos y discutir como ilustrarlo, en colaboración con el equipo de diseño. También se organizó un webinar en septiembre 2023 con las compañías de agua y saneamiento de Buenos Aires, Lima y Medellín para analizar los retos que enfrentan las empresas de agua y saneamiento en América Latina en la prestación de servicios en asentamientos humanos y como la integridad puede mejorar la prestación del servicio.   Taller presencial:  En marzo 2024, se organizó un taller con académicos de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Católica del Perú (PCUP) y miembros de la sociedad civil ( Lima Cómo Vamos  y Sanima ) para consolidar el material del curso y discutir los restos y las ventajas de los cursos virtuales como material pedagógico.   Visitas de campo:   Se realizaron dos visitas de campo a asentamientos informales en San Juan de Lurigancho y Pamplina, acompañados por la comunidad local y entidades involucradas, para conocer las realidades de los residentes y sus luchas para asegurar el acceso al agua y saneamiento. arriba - taller para el desarrollo del curso; abajo izquierda - visita a Pamplona con la ONG Sanima; abajo derecha - visita a San Juan de Lurigancho Fase 2: Diseño del curso El diseñado del curso tiene una gran influencia en el aprendizaje de los participantes. Desde el principio, para el equipo fue muy claro que queríamos ir más allá de los formatos tradicionales de enseñanza como las videoconferencias y evaluaciones automatizadas. Optamos por una estructura sencilla, con contenidos breves y objetivos claros, y nos apoyamos fuertemente en un diseño visual que facilitara la comprensión de la narrativa del curso. Fue fundamental exponer al participante a las realidades de Lima, su historia, geografía, clima, condición política y cultural. Además, se priorizó un aprendizaje experimental mediante la interacción de las realidades de los residentes de asentamientos humanos a través de entrevistas que fueron luego convertidas en formato video. Para el diseño, trabajamos con equipo que no solo tuviera habilidades necesarias, sino también empatía con el tema. Contamos con un profesional en geografía y una experta en comunicación visual, lo cual enriqueció el proceso. Estructura del curso El curso fue estructurado en los siguientes cuatro módulos. Cada módulo contiene una serie de tres videos cortos (de 3 a 4 minutos). Estos videos incluyen fotografías históricas, cartografía de la ciudad, iconografías, noticias, y entrevistas que sumergen a los participantes en las realidades cotidianas de los residentes de asentamientos humanos. Además, se incluyeron ejercicios interactivos, quizzes, foros, definiciones clave y lecturas complementarias. Fase 3: Implementación del curso Antes de iniciar el desarrollo y diseño del curso, fue esencial familiarizarnos con la plataforma donde se ofrecerían los contenidos: Cap-Net . Esta plataforma especializada en el sector de agua y saneamiento, ofrece cursos sin ningún costo para el participante. Para fomentar un aprendizaje activo, utilizamos el programa H5P , que nos permitió diseñar contenido interactivo como videos, juegos de memoria, tarjetas (flashcards), y ejercicios de arrastrar y soltar. Este programa también facilitó una mejor interacción en los foros de discusión a través de formulación de preguntas. Flashcards para discutir la pregunta ¿Quién puede estar involucrado en actos de corrupción? Este curso se ofrece de forma gratuita por un periodo específico (aproximadamente 9 meses al año). Ademes, utilizamos plataformas como YouTube para difundir los videos con subtítulos en inglés, lo que amplía el alcance del curso a audiencia más amplia.  Reflexiones Es clave diseñar una estructura del curso con objetivos de aprendizaje claros y definidos. Un cronograma de actividades y una asignación clara de responsabilidades son esenciales para el desarrollo eficiente. Es fundamental permitir que a todas las partes interesadas expresen sus opiniones, ya que varias instituciones están involucradas en el desarrollo de contenido. Involucrar al equipo de diseño al inicio del proyecto es esencial, no solo al final para “decorar” el curso. Aunque lleva mucho tiempo, esta experiencia es sumamente gratificante. ¿Quieres saber más? Si deseas inscribirte en el curso, puedes acceder directamente al enlace de inscripción   aquí .