Wave of Corruption: Corruption Laws and Water Access

Abstract

Water is essential for human life and functioning. At the international and domestic level, it is well known that water is not accessible to all. There are many societal, structural and legal reasons for this lack of access, to say nothing of the lack of access to clean water rather than simply water itself.

This paper will shift the focus of water-based discussions to examine the relationship between access to water and legal regimes regarding corruption. Using international, regional and domestic corruption and water laws, this paper will analyze which regimes are applicable to corruption involving water access and how applicable regimes might be used to prevent corruption involving water access. From this analysis will come suggestions as to ways that existing corruption and other legal regimes could be strengthened to provide for more specific penalties involving corruption and water resources.

Keywords: water law, water resources, water access, corruption