Access to water in Senegal: a major challenge

Access to drinking water and sanitation remains a major challenge in Senegal, particularly in rural areas.

  • Inadequate infrastructure
  • Difficulties in managing the facilities
  • Inequalities between urban and rural areas
  • Persistent health risks

Despite the progress made, many projects show that without:

  • Suitable management
  • The involvement of local people
  • A long-term vision

An integrated approach led by HAMAP-Humanitaire

Present in Senegal for 13 years, HAMAP-Humanitaire has developed an approach based on:

  • Building infrastructure
  • Local governance
  • Raising public awareness

Three projects illustrate this approach:

  • Sandiara
  • Bokiladji
  • Velingara

Sandiara: a territory-wide vision for water

Towards universal access to water

The municipality of Sandiara is working towards universal access to water for its 28 localities.

  • Some areas had no infrastructure at all before the intervention
  • Inadequate sanitation facilities
  • Major public health issues

A project structured in several phases

  • Preliminary studies
  • Extension of the water network
  • Development of a master plan

Current phase:

  • Extending the network to several localities
  • Connecting households
  • Building sanitation facilities
  • Setting up wastewater management systems

A project supported by many partners

  • The Adour-Garonne Water Agency
  • The Occitanie Region
  • SIVOM SAGE
  • French and Senegalese ministries

Bokiladji: securing access to water and reducing inequalities

A critical situation

The people of Bokiladji face:

  • Distances of 3 to 5 km to reach water
  • A heavy burden on women and children
  • Health risks linked to untreated water

Consequences:

  • Frequent waterborne diseases
  • Risks to women's safety
  • A brake on agricultural development

Concrete solutions put in place

The project provides for:

  • Building a drinking water network
  • Hygiene awareness raising
  • Training in water management

Partners:

  • APIT Humanitaire et Developpement
  • Water agencies
  • Local authorities and foundations

An approach centred on self-reliance

The aim goes beyond infrastructure:

  • Passing on skills
  • Giving communities responsibility
  • Sustainable management of the facilities

Velingara: a key sanitation challenge

A major health issue

In the department of Velingara:

  • More than 50% of the population without suitable latrines
  • High health risks
  • A fragile water table

An integrated water and sanitation project

Activities carried out:

  • Extending the water network
  • Connecting 175 households
  • Building latrines in schools and health centres

Strengthening local capacity

The project includes:

  • Defining how the facilities will be managed
  • Raising awareness of good hygiene practice
  • Training local actors

Towards integrated and sustainable management

Water as a lever for development

Access to water and sanitation makes it possible:

  • To improve public health
  • To reduce social and gender inequalities
  • To support education and employment
  • To strengthen people's self-reliance

An essential approach for the future

The work carried out in Senegal shows that:

  • Infrastructure alone is not enough
  • Local governance is essential
  • Awareness raising is indispensable