World Water Council

World Water Council (WWC) is an international think tank. "Its mission is to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues at all levels, including the highest decision-making level, to facilitate the efficient management and use of water in all its dimensions and on an environmentally sustainable basis." Trade publications have described WWC as focused "on the privatization of water -- water for profit."

Water and energy
The WWC's fifth World Water Forum, in Istanbul, Turkey in March 2009, will include presentations on the topic "Water for energy, energy for water."

One proposed sessions addresses "the obvious conflicts between [water and energy] policies and their impact on food security and environment sustainability," in particular with regards to biofuels, hydropower and the energy efficiency of water industries. Another session focuses on the technologies and policies needed for sustainable water and energy practices, including "water and energy footprinting," the "need for water-technologies for the exploration of crude oil," and "the use of emerging renewable energy technologies in the water sector." Multiple session proposals mention the impact on water and energy availability to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, goals set by the United Nations to support development and reduce poverty by 2015.

Critiques
There are claims that the World Water Council has an industry-bias and advocates pro-privatization water policies, "In between organising the World Water Forum every three years, the World Water Council (WWC) operates as a think-tank promoting neoliberal 'solutions' to the water crisis. Speaking of 'public-private partnerships' instead of 'privatisation', the WWC continues to promote the illusion that leaving water supply to transnational corporations is the only way forward. In fact the experience of the last decade has shown that these profit-seeking corporations are incapable of delivering water to the worlds poorest," according to a Corporate Europe Observatory brief.

Funding
WWC's website states that it is "financed primarily through membership fees and additional support is provided by the host City of Marseilles. Specific projects and programs are financed through donations and grants from governments, international organizations and NGO's."

Partners
Partners listed on the WWC website, as of February 2009, include:
 * African Water Facility
 * Agence intergouvernementale de la francophonie
 * City of Marseille, France
 * Comision Nacional del Agua, Mexico
 * Dialogue on Water and Climate
 * French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development / MEDD
 * French Ministry of Foreign Affairs / MAE
 * Global Water Partnership
 * Government of Kingdom of Morocco
 * IWA Publishing - Water Policy Journal
 * Japan Water Forum
 * Nownet / Northern Water Network
 * Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development / OECD
 * PS-Eau / Programme Solidarité-Eau
 * Stockholm International Water Institute
 * United Cities and Local Governments / UCLG
 * United Nations
 * UN Water
 * Water-L - a water news listserv published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development / IISD

Members
WWC's members included, as of August 2008:
 * African Development Bank / AFDB
 * African Water Association / AFWA
 * Arab Organization for Agricultural Development League of Arab States / AOAD
 * Business and Professional Women International / IFBPW
 * European Investment Bank / EIB-BEI
 * Green Cross International / GCI
 * ICLEI / Local governments for sustainability
 * Inter American Association of Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences / AIDIS
 * Inter-American Water Resources Network / IWRN - OAS
 * International Association of Hydrogeologists / IAH
 * International Association of Hydrological Sciences / IAHS
 * International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas / ICARDA
 * International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage / ICID
 * International Commission on Large Dams / ICOLD
 * International Committee of Red Cross / ICRC
 * International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies / IFRC
 * International Fund for saving the Aral Sea / EC IFAS
 * International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering / IIWEE
 * International Private Water Association
 * International Water Association / IWA
 * International Water Management Institute / IWMI
 * International Water Resources Association / IWRA
 * Scientific Information Center Interstate Water Coordination Commission of Central Area / SIC ICWC
 * UN Habitat
 * UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
 * United Nations Environment Program
 * World Bank
 * World Conservation Union / IUCN
 * World Meterological Organisation / WMO
 * Aide a la Mere et a l´Enfance Malheureuse - Benin
 * Bureau d'études, de recherches, d'ingénierie et d'animation - Niger
 * Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - South Africa
 * South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
 * Mavlin Projects Limited - Nigeria
 * Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulics and Halieutic Resources - Burkina Faso
 * Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Co. Ltd. - Kenya
 * National Association of Cities of Benin - Benin
 * Organisation pour la mise en valeur du fleuve Sénégal - Senegal
 * Programme d'eau potable et soins de santé sans frontières - Cameroon
 * AES Tietê - Brazil
 * Agencia Nacional De Aguas - Brazil
 * American Society of Civil Engineers - Environmental and Water Resources Institute - USA
 * American Water Resources Association - USA
 * Asociacion Nacional de Empresas de Agua y Saneamiento de México
 * Brace Center for Water Resources Management - Canada
 * Brazilian Association for Hydrological Resources
 * Canadian Water Resources Association
 * Comision Nacional del Agua - Mexico
 * Consejo Consultivo del Agua - Mexico
 * Cooperativa de Servicios Publicos Santa Cruz Ltda. - Bolivia
 * ECOCONSULT INC, Groupe SECOR - Canada
 * Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua
 * Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture - Costa Rica
 * International Secretariat for Water - Canada
 * Irrigation Association - USA
 * Ministry of Environment, British Columbia - Canada
 * Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Brazil
 * Project Wet International Foundation - USA
 * Secretariat for Water, State of Mexico
 * U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works
 * U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
 * United Water - USA
 * Water Environment Federation - USA
 * Azerbaijan Amelioration and Water Farm Open Joint Stock Company
 * Central Board of Irrigation and Power - India
 * Central Water Commission - India
 * CTI Engineering Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * CTI Engineering International Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Dhan Foundation - India
 * EBARA Corporation - Japan
 * Foundation for Riverfront Improvement and Restoration - Japan
 * Foundation of Hokkaido River Disaster Prevention Research Center - Japan
 * Foundation of River and Basin Integrated Communications - Japan
 * Foundation of River and Watershed Environment Management - Japan
 * Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. - Japan
 * IDEA Consultants, Inc. - Japan
 * INA Corporation - Japan
 * Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. - India
 * Infrastructure Development Institute - Japan
 * Japan Association of Dam & Weir Equipment Engineering
 * Japan Civil Engineering Consultants Association
 * Japan Construction Information Center
 * Japan Dam Engineering Center
 * Japan Institute of Construction Engineering
 * Japan Institute of Wastewater Engineering Technology
 * Japan River Association
 * Japan Sewage Treatment Plant Constructors Association
 * Japan Sewage Treatment Plant Constructors Association
 * Japan Sewage Treatment Plant Operation and Maintenance Association Inc.
 * Japan Sewer Collection System Maintenance Association
 * Japan Water Agency
 * Japan Water Forum
 * Japan Water Resources Association
 * Japanese Institute of Irrigation and Drainage
 * Korea Institute of Construction and Technology
 * Korea Institute of Water and Environment
 * Korea Water Forum
 * Korea Water Resources Association
 * Kubota Corp. - Japan
 * Meidensha Corporation - Japan
 * Ministry of Economic Affairs Water Resources - Taiwan
 * Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources - Tajikistan
 * Nihon Suido Consultants Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Nihon Suiko Sekkei Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Nippon Jogesuido Sekkei Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Nippon Koei Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Singapore Public Utilities Board
 * Sustainable Water Resources Research Center - Korea
 * Tokyo Kensetsu Consultants Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Pakistan Water and Sanitation Agency
 * Water Resources Environment Technology Center - Japan
 * World Water Institute - India
 * Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd. - Japan
 * Académie de l'Eau - France
 * Agence de l'Eau Loire-Bretagne - France
 * Agence de l'Eau Rhin-Meuse - France
 * Agence de l'Eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse - France
 * Agence de l'Eau Seine-Normandie - France
 * ALTERRA - Wageningen UR - Netherlands
 * Aquafed, The International Federation of Private Water Operators - Belgium
 * Areva TA - France
 * Asociacion Española de Riegos y Drenajes - Spain
 * Asociacion Nacional de Quimicos de Espana - Spain
 * Association des Maires de Grandes Villes de France
 * BCEOM Société Française d'Ingénierie
 * Biwater Plc - UK
 * CEMAGREF - France
 * Center for Russian Waterworks Inventory and State Water Cadastre
 * Centre for Development Studies, University of Bergen - Norway
 * Centro de investigaciones energeticas, medioambientales y tecnologicas - Spain
 * Cercle Français de l'Eau - France
 * Compagnie d'Aménagement des Coteaux de Gascogne - France
 * Compagnie Générale des Eaux - France
 * Danish Water Forum - Denmark
 * Degremont - France
 * Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit - Germany
 * Directorate for Water of Montenegro
 * Drossbach GmbH & Co. KG - Germany
 * Société Anonyme de Gestion des Eaux de Paris - France
 * Evian Volvic Sources Internationales - France
 * Fédération Professionnelle des Entreprises de l'Eau - France
 * FERENDI - Netherlands
 * Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
 * Foundation of New Water Culture - Spain
 * Groupe Genoyer - France
 * Hydrotop - France
 * IMDEA Water Foundation - Spain
 * Inredningslas Skandinavien AB - Sweden
 * Institut de la Gestion Déléguée - France
 * Institut Méditerranéen de l'Eau - France
 * Instituto Geologico Minero de Espana - Spain
 * International Hydropower Association - UK
 * International Water and Sanitation Centre - Netherlands
 * Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo - Italy
 * Lyonnaise des eaux, group Suez - France
 * French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development / MEDD
 * Ministério Do Ambiente e Do Ordenamento do Territorio, Instituto da agua - Portugal
 * Polish Ministry of Environment
 * Spanish Ministry of Environment
 * Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Ministry of Housing, Spacial Planning and Environment - Netherlands
 * National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Greece
 * Nederlandse Waterschapsbank N.V. - Netherlands
 * Netherlands Water Partnership
 * NP Eco Invest - Russia
 * OTV - France Sud
 * Partners for Water - Netherlands
 * Plan Bleu, Centre d'Activités Régionales - France
 * Portuguese Water Resources Association
 * PriceWaterhouseCoopers Audit - France
 * Proactiva Medio Ambiente - Spain
 * Regional Direction for Water Resources Planning - Italy
 * SAFEGE Consulting Engineers - France
 * Saint Gobain PAM - France
 * Service Intercommunal de Gestion - Switzerland
 * Severn Trent Plc - UK
 * Sindicato Central de Regantes del Acueducto Tajo-Segura - Spain
 * Societa metropolitana acque Torino S.p.A - Italy
 * Société des Eaux d'Arles - France
 * Société des Eaux de Marseille - France
 * Société du Canal de Provence et d'Aménagement de la Région Provençale - France
 * Société Hydrotechnique de France
 * SOGREAH - France
 * Subsea Infrastructure Ltd. - UK
 * Suez Environnement - France
 * Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - Switzerland
 * Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya - Spain
 * University of Castilla, La Mancha - Spain
 * Age Insaat ve Ticaret A.S. - Turkey
 * Agence Nationale pour le Développement de la Recherche Universitaire - Algeria
 * Ahmet Aydeniz Construction Co. Int. - Turkey
 * Alexandria Water Company - Egypt
 * Association of the friends of Ibrahim Abd El Al - Lebanon
 * Ataç insaat ve sanayi A.S. - Turkey
 * Aydiner Construction Company - Turkey
 * Ceylan Construction and Trade Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Compagnie marocaine de service à l'environement - Morocco
 * Dar Al-Handasah Consultant - Egypt
 * Dar Al-Taqniya - Saudi Arabia
 * Darwish Consulting Engineers Ltd. - Egypt
 * Dogus Construction and Trading Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Dolsar Engineering Limited - Turkey
 * Ecetur Ece Tourism Construction Trade and Shop Operating Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Ecole Nationale Superieure de L'Hydraulique - Algeria
 * General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works - Turkey
 * Göçay Construction Contracting Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Haifa Municipality, Water Sewage and Drainage - Israel
 * Ic Içtas Construction Industry and Trade Co. Inc - Turkey
 * Içkale Group - Turkey
 * Ilci Insaat sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. - Turkey
 * Ismail Celik Construction Industry and Trade Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration General Directorate - Turkey
 * Kiska Construction Corporation - Turkey
 * Kocoglu Construction & Trade Inc. - Turkey
 * KOLIN Construction, Manufacturing and Trading Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Kurt Construction Industry Ltd. - Turkey
 * Library of Alexandria - Egypt
 * Limak Construction Industry and Trade Inc. - Turkey
 * Lyonnaise des Eaux de Casablanca - Morocco
 * Middle East Desalination Research Center - Oman
 * Ministère de l'Agriculture, du Développement Rural et des Eaux et Forêts - Morocco
 * Ministry of Irrigation - Syria
 * Ministry of Water and Electricity - Saudi Arabia
 * Ministry of Water Resources - Iraq
 * Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation - Egypt
 * Nareva Holding - Morocco
 * National Agency of Hydraulic Resources - Algeria
 * National Water Research Center - Egypt
 * NTF Construction (EREN Construction) Trading Ltd. Co. - Turkey
 * Nurol Construction and Trading Company Inc. - Turkey
 * Office National de l'Eau Potable - Morocco
 * Özaltin Construction Trade and Industry Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * OZDEMİR Construction Tourism Energy Industry and Trade Inc. - Turkey
 * Özkar Construction Industry and Trade Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Palestinian Water Authority
 * Peker Construction Trade and Industry Inc. - Turkey
 * Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters - Egypt
 * Qatar general electricity & water corporation
 * REDAL - Morocco
 * Régie Autonome de Distribution d'Eau et d'Electricité de Meknes - Morocco
 * Régie Intercommunale de distribution de l'eau et de l'éléctricité de Fès - Morocco
 * Secrétariat d'état chargé de l'eau, Ministere de l'Amenagement du territoire, de l'eau et de l'environnement - Morocco
 * Sell Force International - United Arab Emirates
 * Sistem Elektromekanik Tesisler Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S. - Turkey
 * Southeastern Anatolia Project - Turkey
 * Tekfen Holding A.S. - Turkey
 * Turkish Contractors Association
 * Turkish Water Foundation
 * Ünal Group of Companies - Turkey
 * University of Jordan
 * Water Energy Environment Research Center - Lebanon
 * Watermaster s.a.r.l - Lebanon
 * Yöntas Construction Industry and Trade Co. Inc. - Turkey
 * Yuksel Insaat A.S. - Turkey
 * Central Highlands Water - Australia
 * Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts - Australia

Contact
The Headquarters World Water Council Espace Gaymard 2-4 place d'Arvieux 13002 Marseille France Phone: +33 (4) 91 99 41 00 Fax: +33 (4) 91 99 41 01 Email: wwc AT worldwatercouncil.org Web: http://www.worldwatercouncil.org

Western Hemispheric Bureau World Water Council Canada Phone: +1 (514) 286-1050 Fax: +1 (514) 287-9057 Email: aly_shady AT acdi-cida.gc.ca

New Delhi Regional Centre C/O Central Board of Irrigation and Power CBIP Buildg., Plot NÂ°4 Institutional Area, Malcha Marg. Chanakyapuri 110021 New Delhi India Phone +91 (11) 2611 59 84 Fax: +91 (11) 2611 63 47 Email: cbip AT nda.vsnl.net.in

Africa and Middle East Bureau President Office, World Water Council Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Corniche El Nil, Imbaba Giza 12666 Egypt Phone: +20 (2) 544-9442 Fax: +20 (2) 544-9449 Email: president AT worldwatercouncil.org

Related SourceWatch articles

 * International Private Water Association
 * SUEZ
 * Think tanks

External resources

 * World Water Forum - Diluting Dissent? by Corporate Europe Observatory.