Rather than the concept of affordability, the argument is made for the use of the concept 'responsibility' in the context of upholding the human right to water. This note is written as a response to the references to 'affordability' in the Sub-Commission's Guidelines for the Realization of the right to drinking water and sanitation, Report of the Special Rapporteur, El Hadji Guisse (August 2006) and the General Comment on Right to Water.