The world is in the grip of a water crisis and government corruption is making it worse, according to a new Transparency International report.

According to the report, corruption adds significantly to the cost of providing water into a network. In India, for example, contracts are estimated to be 25 per cent more expensive because of corruption. The growth sector of hydropower and resettlement programs are identified as corruption hot spots.

Transparency International has a number of recommendations including more regulatory oversight although it is hard to see how this is going to change. And that means billions more will be living in water stressed areas, something that will have enormous implications for global security.