('Inngreaa Hi the ?utter! gtatea Washington, E01 3131515 June 15,2015 Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi Environmental Rights Action Friends of the Earth Nigeria Plot 3978, George Crescent Agbalajobi Estate Off Wempco Road Ogba?Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria Dear Akinbode Oluwafemi and members of the ?Our Water Our Right? Coalition, We, members of the Congressional Black Caucus signed below, stand with you and our brothers and sisters in communities across the United States, the African continent, and the world as we struggle together to achieve the universal right to clean, safe drinking water. Thank you for bringing to our attention the situation in Lagos, Nigeria, where a mere fraction of the city?s roughly 20 million people have regular access to safe water. Water is a fundamental building block upon which individual and collective economic prosperity relies. When people cannot access or afford clean water, the impact on their health and livelihoods is devastating. As you know all too well, these circumstances force families to make painful economic choices. Unfortunately, water access is a problem that transcends national boundaries. In the US city of Detroit, low-income residents continue to experience inhumane water shutoffs, a development that has drawn the concern of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Water. The city of Baltimore has begun to follow Detroit?s dangerous example, despite Opposition from its residents. And as you know personally, the people of Lagos are facing the possibility that their water services will be privatized. We are deeply concerned that low?income communities and people of color are disproportionately affected when water is managed with greater attention to pro?t margins than to human rights. While we cannot all be experts on the distinct water access challenges facing each of the world?s cities, we share your concerns that a move towards privatization of the water scheme in Lagos, including public-private partnerships, could leave the city vulnerable to the negative impacts historically associated with various forms of water privatization, including rate hikes, worker layoffs, service interruptions, and failures to adequately invest in infrastructure. Protecting this public good requires transparency, democratic decision-making, and strong public participation, particularly when governments consider contracting private, for?pro?t entities for water delivery and management. It is in this Spirit that we wish to express our solidarity with the people of Lagos, of Detroit, and of cities around the world as they raise their voices in support of public water, participatory governance, and universal access. Movements like yours provide us with an inspiring example of democracy in action and a valuable contribution to the struggle to secure the human right to water. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER We also wish to demonstrate our support for govermnents exercising leadership, courage, and political will to stand up to powerful interests and make the strong public investments in water infrastructure that have proven successful in the past. It is our hope that we can continue working together to ensure that all people enjoy their fundamental human right to water. Sincerely, ren Bass Member of Congress Bobby L. r?i?sli/ Member 0 ongress Eleanor Holmes Norton Emanuel Cle emb of Congress arles B. Rangel Member of Congress Member of Congress Maxine waters Member of Congress ?g m. Lacy Clay Stacey askett Membe Congress Memb of Congress Donald M. Payne, Jr. Cedric . Richmond Member of Congress Member of Congress 546, Alma S. Adams Member of Congress @M?m Donna F. Edwards Member of Congress wen Mo re Member of Congress Corrine Brown Member of Congress Hakeem S. Jeffri Member of Congress eith Ellison Member of Congress renda L. Lawrence- Member of Congress gnaka Fattahl ember of Congress 3am [wry/m Frederica S. Wilson Member of Congress