British multinational bank HSBC has launched a new US$ 100
million, five year partnership with WaterAid, WWF and the
Earthwatch Institute. The HSBC Water Programme will bring safe
water and improved sanitation to over a million people; tackle
water risks in river basins; and raise awareness about the
global water challenge. The programme is backed-up by report
commissioned by HSBC, which warns that the predicted high-growth
rate in several of the world’s most populous river basins may
not materialise because of their unsustainable water consumption
. The report also highlights “the powerful economic rationale
for improving access to freshwater and sanitation, at a time
when total aid for water access and sanitation has actually
declined”. Providing universal access to safe water and
sanitation would imply potential economic gain of US$ 220
billion per year, the report said. It stated that the average
return on each dollar invested in universal access was just
under US$ 5, even after taking maintenance costs