British aid money is being used to push water privatisation on poor countries - making it less likely that clean water will ever get to the poorest people. And while poor people lose out, a group of big UK companies are profiting from this aid.

As part of an international campaign, Leeds World Development Movement group is putting on an evening of film and talks about the global water crisis on Wednesday 22 March from 7pm onwards at the Common Place social centre, 23-25 Wharf Street, Leeds (nr Duck and Drake pub/coach station).

The group will show WDM's new film, Dirty Aid/Dirty Water, which explores the issues surrounding the global water crisis, asking tough questions of the existing trend towards privatisation of water services. It is a short film and we hope to have speakers or discussion and campaign materials available.

In a world where nearly 6,000 children die every day because of unclean water, this is a scandal that must stop now. Case after case shows how water privatisation creates more problems than it solves. It has led to unnecessary price rises while failing to connect poor people to clean water. But the UK Government is paying millions to wealthy "privatisation consultants", like Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Adam Smith International and Halcrow, to promote it.

For example, in Ghana, the UK Government and the pro-privatisation consultants it pays for have supported and promoted an undemocratic privatisation that will undermine water access. The World Development Movement's Dirty Aid, Dirty Water campaign demands that the UK Government stops this waste of aid and starts supporting real solutions to the water crisis.