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WATER GLOBAL
PRACTICE
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SENEGAL WATER SECURITY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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Water security is “the availability of an acceptable quantity and quality of water for health,
livelihoods, ecosystems and production, coupled with an acceptable level of water-related
risks to people, environments and economies.”1
WATER SECURITY KEY FACTS IN SENEGAL
Senegal is already water stressed and current water withdrawals are projected to
increase by 30 to 60 percent by 2035
Public Disclosure Authorized
Water-related extreme events and pollution already cost Senegal over 10 percent
of GDP every year, threatening the country’s ambition to become an emerging
country, even more so following the COVID-19 pandemic
The Dakar area is especially at risk, concentrating 50 percent of Senegal’s GDP
production and close to a third of its population, and will need to diversify water
sources and improve cross-sectoral coordination
Senegal urgently needs to prioritize water security to achieve and sustain its
development objectives (PSE)
1
Grey and Sadoff 2007.
2 Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
1 Water security is the bedrock of Senegal’s 90 percent) and is the main water source for
development and key to its socio-economic agriculture, but already fails to meet associated
development goals. Water security depends on uses in dry years, especially irrigation water
the management of water resources for service demand in the Senegal River Basin during the
delivery and risk mitigation. While the national dry season. Groundwater supplies 85 percent
socio-economic development plan (Plan Senegal of potable water and most industrial uses but
Emergent - PSE) aims to mobilize “abundant, is threatened by overuse and pollution. Current
good quality water for all, everywhere and for all water withdrawals are projected to increase by
uses, in a healthy sustainable living environment, 30 to 60 percent by 2035, further exacerbating
for an emerging Senegal” by 2035, it does not water stress and straining the country’s ability to
take into account constraints linked to water meet the water demand of a quickly urbanizing
resources availability or management. Against population and achieve its socio-economic
this backdrop, the Government of Senegal, development goals.
through the Ministry of Water and Sanitation
3 Water insecurity poses serious constraints
(MEA), requested World Bank support to carry
out a study on water security. This study first on the country’s economic growth and
assesses the attention given to water resource the COVID-19 crisis further heightens the
management at the national level and identifies urgency. Today, the cost of the water resources
barriers to achieving water security, building management status quo already impacts
more than 10 percent of Senegal’s GDP, due to
on an overview of available resources and
water-related extreme events and pollution.
the institutional framework. It then takes a
Flooding costs associated with damage of
closer look at the Greater Dakar region where
infrastructure and habitat and premature deaths
achieving water security will be most critical to
have been estimated over US$ one billion, or
development.
6.3 percent of GDP, while the cost of a year of
drought is in the order of US$500 million, or 3
2 Deteriorating water resources and an
percent of agricultural GDP.2 Water pollution
inadequate institutional framework are costs associated with untreated domestic
threatening water security in Senegal. This wastewater discharges, taking into consideration
study shows that the steadily decreasing water impacts on the environment and on health, are
availability per capita already falls below the estimated at 3.8 percent of annual GDP, far
1700 m3/capita/day threshold, under which exceeding the order of magnitude for middle-
a country experiences periodic water stress. income countries (losses of 2.5 percent of GDP).
This average situation of water resources in Supply-focused water source development has
Senegal masks very significant geographic driven the marginal cost of water to triple since
and temporal variations, meaning that water the late 1990s. Already the Government has
availability does not necessarily coincide with spent millions on emergency measures to meet
demand and makes meeting growing water demand gaps for water supply and to remedy
needs sometimes complex, difficult and flood damages to people, infrastructure and the
expensive. This situation is compounded by environment. Such pressures could jeopardize
the degradation of water quality, significant the acceleration of growth and poverty reduction
spatio-temporal variability, limited exploitability Senegal had finally achieved after weak past
– both technical and economic –, the largely performances that fell below the regional
transboundary nature of water resources, and average, a trajectory which has already been
climate change trends. Surface water represents put under considerable duress by the COVID-19
the majority of renewable resources (about crisis.
2
Croitoru, Lelia; Miranda, Juan José; Sarraf, Maria. 2019. The Cost of Coastal Zone Degradation in West Africa : Benin, Côte d’Ivoire,
Senegal and Togo. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank.
Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
3
4 Water availability and its management will 5 Addressing water security will require managing
shape the Senegalese recovery and future water resources as a non-renewable and
socio-economic development. Senegal’s degradable resource with significant economic
growth has historically been exposed to value. The existing system is overburdened and
significant vulnerability to climatic and showing its limits, hampered by uncoordinated
exogenous shocks, making water security and disparate sectoral strategies and plans. At the
a top priority to protect the country’s long- national level, water security requires a combination
term recovery. Given the essential role of of institutional measures and investments focusing
access to water and sanitation in responding on the seven major hotspots where socio-economic
to pandemics like COVID-19 and the role of importance and water security risks are most
agricultural livelihoods in economic recovery critical, as shown in Figure 1. The success of this
and self-sufficiency in Senegal, water security agenda will depend on the reinforcement of the
is essential to the achievement of PSE capacities and resources of the DGPRE so it can
objectives and a building block of building back become the leading water resources authority,
better for the country. Water availability will with a permanent abstraction fee-based financial
also shape how much urbanization can drive foundation and presence in all regions, and the
Senegal’s development moving forward and revision of the legal framework to focus on
whether the country can reap the positive WRM, which is not limited to the management
dividends of urbanization. Further, water stress of the public water domain. The strengthening of
limits the nation’s booming, thirsty private intersectoral coordination requires giving a legal
sector development – especially agribusiness, scope to the water resources management strategy
mining and tourism. Agricultural uses are the in relation to the development strategies of the
main water user in the nation (82 percent of different sectors. In turn, these elements would
withdrawals) while the mining sector accounts strengthen the DGPRE’s position to ensure that
for 20 percent of total exports in value, water resources availability and management are
contributes 2 percent of GDP and consumes accounted for in sectoral plans, coordinating future
13 million m3/year, mostly from groundwater. services development around these key inputs.
Photo courtesy of XY
4 Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
6 Nowhere are water security issues more triangle is at the center of Senegal’s territorial
prevalent than in the Dakar-Mbour-Thies (DMT) planning and development scheme and, as such,
triangle, which comprises more than half of the a leading recipient for major structuring projects
Senegalese population and economic activity. already under way or in the pipeline, such as the
Concentrating 50 of Senegal’s GDP production development of the Blaise Diagne international
and boasting a growth rate of four percent per airport and the special integrated economic zone
year over the last decade, the DMT triangle faces (ZESI). While the Government has developed plans
key water security risks, including overexploited outlining required investments to strengthen
and polluted aquifers and endangered wetlands water availability and services to 2035, channeling
and ecosystems. The Lac de Guiers provides these plans into innovative “circular” solutions will
about 40 percent of the area’s water supply and require better integration across sectors through
is threatened with regard to both quality and a harmonized strategic framework for water
security of access. The share of the Lac de Guiers security and the consolidation of a platform for
in DMT water supply is projected to increase to coordination across fragmented institutions.
60 percent, with serious implications were the
transfer infrastructure to be damaged or the 8 Existing plans must be prioritized into an
lake water irreversibly polluted, especially given Integrated Government Program for Water
growing conflicts around land and water use Security in the DMT following circular economy
on its shores. Competition is growing between principles. This program would support
different uses for the development of space and improved coordination for planning and water
the use of water resources. The urbanization resources management in the area through the
of agricultural land drives land and water prices consolidation of a cross-sectoral stakeholder
up while development invades the beds of group or water platform. A set of multi-sectoral
intermittent streams, worsening flooding with investments focused on addressing the main
dire consequences (damages of US$67 million water security challenges for the DMT triangle
in 2009 in Dakar alone). As water demand for were identified, namely: support to finalize key
drinking water and irrigation already exceeds institutional reforms, developing new water
the available resources, it is essential that water sources to diversify the portfolio and hedge
sources diversification be explored, including loss against risks to current supply, improve service
reduction and efficiency measures, fit-for-purpose provision efficiency, roll out sanitation services and
source allocation and the development of non- develop wastewater reuse for aquifer recharge
conventional resources such as desalination and and irrigation, and capitalize on wetlands and
wastewater reuse or recycling. green infrastructure to improve stormwater
management and capture. In addition to the
7 The DMT has been facing a water deficit since development of unconventional sources, particular
2011 and could greatly benefit from a circular attention will be paid to safeguarding the Lac
economy approach to water security. For the de Guiers as a strategic resource and protecting
water sector, the circular economy approach and replenishing groundwater resources. Given
promotes refocusing urban centers as users the uncertainties and risks faced by the DMT
within a broader WRM perspective and closing area today, planned investments will be subject
the resource cycle by looking for efficiencies. Its to a thorough resilience analysis following the
key principles consist in delivering resilient water- latest international best practice. The program
related services, designing out waste and pollution will have positive impacts to fight future
and regenerating natural systems.3 For urban pandemics and increase human capital through
water security, this will also require diversifying the implementation of the sanitation component
water sources to hedge against growing risks and and the provision of improved WASH services in
harmonizing across water using sectors. The DMT schools and health centers located in the area.
3
World Bank, upcoming. Water in Circular Economy and Resilience (WICER) Position Paper.
Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
5
Figure 1: Critical water security hotspots and UGPs
Lac de Guiers and
Senegal River delta
Saint Louis
Regional limits
Recession crops area
Niayes and
Littoral Nord Logua
UGP limits
Matam
Bassin arachidier
Thies Diourbel
Greater
Dakar and Dakar Casamance
DMT area Fatick
Presqu'ile du Cap Vert
Kaffrine
Tambacounda
Senegal Oriental
Salty and Kaolack
fluorinated Vallée fleuve Senegal
central band
Kolda
Ziguinchor Sedhiou Kedougou
Casamance lower valley Gold panning area
Thousands of jobs will be created on construction poor sanitation and floods in Senegal (about 10
sites and farms, mostly for youth and young percent of GDP) and within the current range
‘agripreneurs.’ Disruptive technology will be of sector spending in Africa.4 SONES (Société
used to monitor water resource and quality and Nationale des Eaux du Sénégal) has the financial
strengthen citizen engagement through digital capacity to support a significant portion of the
interactions between service providers and citizen. sector’s debt service: over the last twenty-five
years, the water service provider has invested
9 An analysis of the proposed Integrated an equivalent of US$51.5 million per year in the
Government Program for Water Security in the Dakar region. Further, the existing sector financial
DMT triangle shows that integrating circular model has allowed costs sharing for investment
economy principles as outlined above yields and operations between the State, SONES and
economically sound investments. From a users, while maintaining a socially and politically
public finance perspective, the investment plan acceptable tariff. During the same period, water
(US$1,530 million for 2020-2050 including tariffs increases below 1 percent per year allowed
US$500 million for drinking water) is sustainable SONES to maintain financial equilibrium. The
in the long term as the annual investment value recently signed contract of the private operator
for all sectors combined is US$54 million, or about running until 2035 includes substantial invest-
0.5 percent of the GDP produced in the DMT ments and incentives to reduce non-revenue water
triangle, significantly below the current costs of and water losses and improve bill collection ratio.
4
A review of 18 African countries estimated their economic losses due to poor sanitation at US$5.5 billion per year - which
represents between 1 and 2.5 percent of the GDP of the countries reviewed (Economic Impacts of Poor Sanitation in Africa, WSP
World Bank, 2012).
6 Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
10 Failure to implement the investment program 300,000 and 800,000. In the Greater Dakar
could have a considerable impact on the area, flooding cost US$63 million in damages
economy of the DMT triangle in terms of lost in 2009 and affected 290,000 people in 2012.
income for agriculture and industry, public Specific measures are proposed to preserve the
health and the well-being of the populations quality and availability of the city’s groundwater
confronted each year with recurrent floods. resources, which are being rapidly depleted and
Water insecurity already affects economic polluted, and protect the Lac de Guiers, where
growth and recovery at the national level drinking water standards are exceeded due to
through significant GDP losses linked to the presence of pesticides, heavy metals and
damages, lost income and public health. The bacteriological germs, from nearby agricultural
three drought episodes that occurred over activity and untreated wastewater discharge.
the past 20 years caused a fall in GDP of
between 11 and 26 percent compared to the 11 Achieving water security in Senegal will thus
ten-year average and a rise in the number of require key actions around institutions and
persons affected by food insecurity of between investments for resilient growth.
STRENGTHENING
Strengthening WRM Institutions WRM INSTITUTIONS
While strengthening DGPRE’s financial and human • The “upgraded” DGPRE must be present in
resources is a prerequisite to efficient management of all regions, have adequate staffing and be
water resources, Senegal will not be able to meet the permanently financed from abstraction fees,
current and future water security challenges without which must be extended to all users and the
in-depth reforms of the legal and organizational generated revenues be fully allocated to the
frameworks for WRM. management of the resource.
• The draft Water Code must be revised in line • The Conseil Superieur de l’Eau (CSE) needs to
with international good practices and refocused be reactivated, ascribed to the presidential
on WRM. council, and its real functions duly defined in the
revised Water Code, to give it the political and
• The status of DGPRE must be raised as it legal support to ensure water security issues are
currently has a fairly low hierarchical rank and reflected in the national socio-development plan
autonomy level in the public administration, and promote effective inter-sectoral coordination
considering international practices in countries nationally.
with similar water security issues. At the same
time, the management of water resources • At the decentralized level (five management
quality and quantity, as well as of groundwater and planning units - UGP) and in the sub-UGPs
and surface water, should be brought together corresponding to the hotspots, the stakeholder
into a single institution as they are different committees must be put in place. To facilitate
facets of the same resource. their role as effective and sustainable entities,
their functions, composition and financing must
be defined in the revised Water Code.
Senegal Water Security I Executive Summary
7
Figure 2: Achieving water security in the Greater Dakar area
Provide safely managed Urban planning
ry Ma
WSS services live Flood management
e
Wetland restoration
na
Preserve important
ge
ice
irrigation areas Drought mitigation
Improve serv
risk
s
MULTISECTORAL
WATER
PLATFORM
iv c
er
es
D
s if o ur
yw
ater supp ly s
Investments in water security for
INVESTMENTS IN WATER SECURITY FOR RESILIENT GROWTH
resilient growth
To ensure long-term water security in the DMT d. Promote the use of rainwater in agriculture
triangle, the application of the circular economy in the Niayes area
principles helped identify priority actions:
• Increase the population’s access to safely
• Set up a multisectoral and multi-actor managed sanitation services while solving
collaboration platform with a view to the recurring flooding problems in the suburbs
strengthening water governance in the DMT of Dakar through an aquifer recharge and
aiming to restore and maintain the balance wetland restoration program using treated
between the use of water resources today and wastewater and rainwater, complemented with
their protection for future uses water from dams and retention basins.
• Diversify water supply sources • Preserve the agricultural Niayes area through
urgent precautionary measures, including
a. Better protect the Lac de Guiers from land use control, the prohibition of precarious
pollution, strengthen the water transfer settlements in depressions and stream
from the lake and obtain the required beds and strict management of real estate
allocations from the OMVS Permanent Water development in this area.
Commission to transit raw water to the
Dakar region. Water Security in the remaining six hotspots. This
report provides preliminary recommendations to add-
b. Implement a voluntary groundwater
ress the water security issues of the remaining hot-
replenishment program starting in 2022
spots (see Annex 1). Those recommendations would
to allow the safeguarding of key depleted
be fine-tuned through the Water Development and
aquifers that supply the DMT triangle.
Management Master Plans (SDAGE) and the detailed
c. Increase volumes of wastewater being plans being financed by a World Bank project at sub-
treated and promote the reuse of UGP level. By addressing the issues identified in the
treated wastewater in agriculture and for other six hotspots, the WRM analysis and proposals,
groundwater recharge combined with the SDAGEs, should ensure the achieve-
ment of the socio-economic goals stated in the PSE.
