.:: AquaFed® ::.

May, 2008 - The « Documents section » has been updated and contains the Public Statements on behalf of the Major Group “Business and Industry” and the Press Release and Key Messages by AquaFed at the 16th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

February, 2008 - The « Documents section » has been updated and contains a new section titled “Key Industry Positions and Contributions to International Debates and Consultations”.
The Federation contributions to 2 ongoing debates at UN level have been posted:

Practitioners’ Views on the Right to Water - AquaFed’s submission to the OHCHR study on human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation(pdf1,pdf2).
AquaFed contributed to the 2007 study by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights on human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation and highlighted the need to address implementation challenges. The UN Human Rights Council will review the OHCHR report in its 7th Session in March 2008.
2005-2008 - Progress on CSD13 decisions on water and sanitation --- Perception of Private Water Operators (report).
In May 2005, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development decided a list of “Policy options and practical measures to expedite implementation in water, sanitation and human settlements” and decided to review this action plan during their 2008 meeting (CSD 16, May 2008). AquaFed contributed to the UN report to this 2008 session by writing this document. It shows that no sign of the decided acceleration of progress towards the access to water and access to sanitation Millennium Development Goals could be detected yet.

September 2007 - AquaFed welcomes BIWATER Plc as its newest corporate member (website).

August 13, 2007 - AquaFed publishes « Clarifying Components of Sanitation » during Stockholm World Water Week as part of the preparations for the International Year of Sanitation (IYS2008 – more information on the UNSGAB / IYS2008 website).

March 22, 2007 - AquaFed’s Message for World Water Day 2007
March 22, 2007 - Half the developing world without a tap! On World Water Day 2007, AquaFed renews its call (see below for our March 8, 2007 statement on Gender) for significantly increasing the number of projects that connect more households to drinking water networks or provide better sanitation. The world is not on track to achieve the drinking water & sanitation Millennium Development Goals when these MDGs are about providing a kind of access that is not comparable to the situation in developed countries.

According to the most-recent UN official figures (Joint Monitoring Programme 2006 assessment for targets up until 2004), there are 1.1 billion people without access to “improved water sources”. Furthermore, 46% of the world population lives without a tap at home or nearby. This means that nearly 3 billion people - more than half of the population of the developing world - have to carry water every day. More “access to water and sanitation” projects are necessary worldwide!

March 8, 2007 – International Women’s Day 2007 – Federation Press Release: “All Women need Water and Sanitation. More access-to-water and sanitation projects must be launched”. Read our press release (EN, FR, SP) . AquaFed has issued a new document: “Water and Sanitaiton for Woman. Private Operators Contribute” (download : EN, FR, ES). To find out more about the International Women’s Day, please visit the United Nations website on http://www.un.org/events/women/iwd/2007/ .

March 2007 – AquaFed welcomes FP2E, la Fédération Professionnelle des Entreprises de l’Eau, as a new National Member. FP2E is the French National Association of Private Water Operators (website).

March 2007 – The AquaFed website has been updated: various public presentations have been added to the Documents section

August 22, 2006 - Press release: “AquaFed® supports the integrity and anticorruption drive”.
The Federation joins the Water Integrity Network”. Read our Press Release (UK, FR).
To find out more about the Water Integrity Network, please visit the WIN Website.
Transparency International has a special section on WIN.

August 2006 - Two additional National Members have joined AquaFed® allowing the number of operators represented by the Federation to continue to expand: each National Member represents in its home country the local national association of Private Water Operators.

CHILE: Asociación Nacional de Empresas de Servicios Sanitarios A.G. – ANDESS (website):
19 Private Water Operators serving 12 million people.
UGANDA: Association of Private Water Operators in Uganda -APWO-Ug.
11 Private Water Operators serving 0.6 million people.

July 2006 - AquaFed® has been accredited by the OECD – Business and Industry Advisory Committee:
To find out more about BIAC visit the OECD – BIAC website.

March 2006 - 4th World Water Forum – Mexico City

“Statement by Gérard Payen, President of AquaFed, on the Right to Water and the Role of Local Governments” during the World Water Forum Opening Roundtable, March 16, 2006.
Press release: "Private Water Operators call to turn the Right to Water into a reality for all People", March 19, 2006

October 27, 2005 - Press release - Creation of AquaFed® (UK, FR, ESP)