The recognition of water as a human right has been steadily increasing since the 1977 Mar del Plata Declaration. General Comment No. 15 (Nov 2005) of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has given additional impetus to the calls for new legislation to protect this right at the national level. Two examples of current proposals follow:/p> Bolivia - Establishment of a Ministry for Water

Bolivia has appointed a Minister for Water, Mr Abel Mamani. At the Alternative Water Forum, 2005, he presented the Government policy in a document entitled "A human vision of water in Bolivia". This clearly defines water as a public good and confirms that access to water is a right for humans and other living beings. The Government recognises that in order to fulfill its responsibility to provide sufficient high-quality water to the whole of the population, a genuinely public-owned company must be established. Policies must be effective, responsive and transparent, with socially responsible prices and all surpluses being reinvested. A new body (called the Technical Social Committee) has been created within the ministry to enable civil society to participate in making strategic decisions.

In 2006 the French Senate adopted the following amendment to the French Water Bill

"Article 1 As part of laws and regulations as well as rights previously established, the usage of water belongs to all and every natural person, for their food and hygiene, everyone has the right to right to access drinking water in conditions affordable to all." [Unofficial translation].

"Dans le cadre des lois et règlements ainsi que des droits antérieurement établis, l'usage de l'eau appartient à tous et chaque personne physique, pour son alimentation et son hygiène, a le droit d'accéder à l'eau potable dans des conditions économiquement acceptables par tous."