September 24, 2010  The Council on Human Rights made a step further than the UN General Assembly on 25 July. This recognized only politically the right to water and sanitation. Now, this right is enshrined in the jurisdiction of international conventions on human rights. This tool is essential to initiate the implementation of this right. It is still necessary that States include it in the national legislation and implement it.

The Commission on Human Rights adopted the resolution text which states that the fundamental right to clean water and sanitation results from the right to an adequate standard of living. States have adopted a "consensus" leaving States free to delegate the management and distribution of water to non-state actors (eg private companies but also community-based organizations). In Article 9, the text requires that States ensure that said player does not violate the right to water and sanitation.

The problem is that many states lack the means to ensure this control and that other governments have hidden agendas.