10,000 protest at water summit

Opponents say that the seven-day forum, which began on Thursday, is a cover for privatisation.

Participants from 121 countries, debated topics including the developing world's growing reliance on bottled water bought from private companies, instead of on public water systems, which some call a form of privatisation.

Cristina Hernandez, a protester, said: "We don't want privatisation because it will only serve as a business for someone. Services get more expensive with privatisation, but not better."

Some protesters marched past rows of riot police chanting: "Governments understand, water is not for sale!"

Loic Fauchon, the president of the World Water Council, a non-governmental group, called on the forum to provide massive donations to rebuild water systems in the poorest nations and largest cities.

He said: "A lot of poor people are leaving their countries to go to rich countries. Isn't it preferable, isn't it cheaper, to pay so that these people have water, sewage, energy, to keep open the possibility for them to stay in their [own] countries?"

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