The World Bank’s water strategy seeks to provide effective, tailored assistance to client countries to improve water resources management and enhance water services, in order to enhance growth and reduce poverty. The strategy is anchored in the premise that most developing countries need to be active in both management and development of water resources infrastructure.

In 1993 the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors endorsed a Water Resources Management Policy Paper (pdf). This paper reflected the broad global consensus that modern water resources management should be based on three principles (known as “the Dublin Principles”): (1) the ecological principle—that water should be managed by various water-using sectors at the river basin level; (2) the institutional principle—that water resources management is best done when all stakeholders participate at the lowest appropriate level, and that women need to be included; (3) the instrument principle—that water is scarce and that greater use needs to be made of incentives and economic principles in improving allocation and enhancing quality. 

 

The Bank’s current Water Resources Sector Strategy (pdf), based on experience with implementing the Dublin Principles, explains the different ways in which water management affects poverty. Well conceived water investments and policies:

Â	Provide the basis for overall regional development and associated economic opportunities for the poor (Type 1 benefit).Â
Â	Improve watershed management—with associated benefits for the poor, who are usually the majority of people living in degraded environments—and develop operating rules that specify ecological flows for the benefit of downstream riparians (Type 2 benefit).Â
Â	Include steps towards reform of the power, irrigation, and water supply sectors, with broad benefits from which the poor benefit (Type 3 benefit).
Â	Provide targeted benefits to the poor who are resettled or otherwise affected by an investment project or who live nearby, and generate revenues that directly benefit poor people (Type 4 benefit).Â

 

The World Bank Group's Program for Water Supply and Sanitation (pdf) outlines the Bank’s approach for helping clients speed progress towards efficient sustainable water supply and sanitation services for all. Support focuses on countries where the potential impact is highest, because of their commitment to sound policies and institutions.

 

The Bank’s water practice reflects Bank-wide corporate priorities including climate change mitigation and adaptation, governance and anti-corruption, and results measurement. The Bank’s water practice is also guided by the 2008 Sustainable Infrastructure Action Plan. The Sustainable Infrastructure Action Plan (pdf) provides three years framework for the World Bank to help countries improve the reach and quality of infrastructure investments through increased financial and analytical support.

 

Staff report regularly to the Board of Governors and the Development Committee on water issues and how the World Bank supports countries to solve these issues. For more information, see recent reports and communiqués.