Water is a fundamental platform for economic and social development, and contributes to reducing multiple dimensions of poverty. It is essential to food and energy security, industrial growth, and the protection of ecosystems. Water has been going through unprecedented pressures as growing...

In 2006, 12 low- and middle- income countries implemented at least 47 projects that involved investment commitments totaling US$2 billion according to just-released data from the Private Participation in Infrastructure Database. The annual number of water projects involving the private sector...

The number of water sector projects involving the private sector grew in 2005, but investment flows to these projects fell considerably, according to just-released data from the Private Participation in Infrastructure Database

In March 2000 Bucharest entered into a concession contract for its water utility with the aim of turning around the utility's faltering performance. Under the private operator the utility has raised service quality above Romanian standards and toward Western European levels. By 2008 efficiency...

The Sustainable Development Network (SDN) calls for elevating the environment into upstream processes such as policy, programmatic, and investment dialogue. In its 2002 environment strategy, the Bank committed to use strategic environmental assessments (SEAs), an environmental planning tool for...