Over one billion people live with inadequate access to safe drinking water with dramatic consequences for lives, livelihoods and development. Transparency International's Global Corruption Report 2008 demonstrates in its thematic section that corruption is a cause and catalyst for this water crisis which is likely to be further exacerbated by climate change. Corruption affects all aspects of the water sector from water resources management to drinking water services, irrigation and hydropower. Scholars and professionals document the impact of corruption in the sector with case studies from all around the world and offer practical suggestions for reform. The second part of the Report provides a snapshot of corruption-related developments in 35 countries from all world regions. The third part presents summaries of corruption-related research, highlighting innovative methodologies and new empirical findings that help to better understand the dynamics of corruption and devise more effective anti-corruption strategies.