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                                                                                                      March 13, 2007

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In 1995, more than half of Senegal’s population lived in urban areas, primarily in the
capital, Dakar. In Dakar, water shortages were chronic, leaks persistent, sanitation barely existed
in poor peripheral neighborhoods, and only 58 percent of the population had access through
household connections to safe, piped water. In urban areas overall, that figure was 40 percent.




- The project approached long-term development of the sector: increasing the water supply and
supporting the emergence of an economically viable water company capable of recovering costs,
collecting tariffs, and providing affordable water and sanitation services to the population -
without depending on government subsidies.
- The project also aimed to provide affordable services to economically marginalized
communities.
- Central to the transformation strategy was a new role for the private sector, managing urban
water supply operations on behalf of the state and meeting certain performance requirements.




About 1.6 million people living in cities gained access to safe water. Senegal’s level of
connection to urban water services is now the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.


Highlights:
- 140,000 new connections at subsidized rates for poor families, plus 400 public standpipes.
These alone translate into safe water supply for about 1.6 million people who were previously
without reliable access.
- Household connections reached 76 percent in 2006, the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa,
thanks to the establishment of a subsidized social connections program for poor neighborhoods
in Dakar and secondary urban centers, a government program supported by IDA.
- Global access to water services (including access at public fountains) rose from about 74 - 81
percent in 1996 to about 98 percent of people living in cities in 2006.
- Water losses, mostly from leakages, dropped to less than 20 percent in 2006, from 32 percent
in 1996. The decline translates to a savings equal to the water needs of 930,000 people.
- Sanitation improved in urban areas, with an additional 830,000 people gaining access to
sewerage connections or on-site sanitation.
- Tariff collection reached a rate of 98 percent, up from less than 80 percent before the project.
As a result, tariff increases for consumers were kept to an annual average of 3 percent, the
same as the rate of inflation.
- Water-borne diseases and childhood diarrhea declined. Wastewater disposal has translated
into additional health benefits, and some positive behavioral changes in affected neighborhoods.
Malaria, which takes an enormous toll in West Africa, hits children disproportionately. Through
improved water management and sanitation, it is estimated that malaria in these areas will fall by
20 percent.
- The sector’s successful turnaround attracted major financing from other donors and
investments from commercial banks.
- A follow-up project launched in 2001 continues to meet long-term water-supply needs of Dakar,
but with more emphasis on improving water services in secondary cities and expanding
sanitation services as well.




- Total project cost for Senegal Water Project (including sanitation) was US$290 million for which
IDA provided US$100 million. Successful implementation helped to attract substantial additional
funds from donors and commercial banks. IDA provided another US$125 million equivalent under
the follow-up Long Term Water Sector Project.
- IDA played a convening role and served as a catalyst for the adoption of innovative practices
and policies. Technical assistance made it possible to shift to a public-private partnership, with a
state holding company running the water and sanitation service, while contracting out operational
responsibility to a private firm in which government held a stake. Bank support helped to ensure
fulfillment of contractual and regulatory obligations. Close monitoring of procurement decisions
helped keep costs down, and contributed to affordable tariffs.




Both projects attracted substantial co-financing from international donors including the African
Development Bank, European Investment Bank, France, Germany, the Nordic Development
Fund, the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and commercial banks in Senegal.




In addition to sustaining the achievements in urban areas, access to water needs to be
expanded in rural areas. While close to 100 percent of Senegal’s urban population now have
access to safe water, only 62 percent of those living in rural areas do, and only 17 percent of the
rural population have access to improved sanitation. To achieve the Millennium Development
Goals in Senegal, more than 3 million rural people would need to gain access to safe water and
sanitation.




Water Sector Project (1995-2004)
Project documents
Long Term Water Sector Project (2001-07)
Project documents