Nouakchott faces water crisis

The government has failed to act to offset a water crisis that is engulfing the Mauritanian capital.

3 min read

15 June, 2015

The water shortage is likely to increase as summer approaches [AFP]

Aisha Bint Mohammad, an old resident of the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott is overcome with disappointment when the water seller tells her he has run out of water allocated for Dar Naim district.

The water seller does not bother explaining why, as this has become a daily occurrence. Many residents are now being forced to wait days before they can buy drinking water.

Aisha hopes she will have better luck filling her 200-litre tank with drinking water tomorrow. She usually manages to fill it twice a week.

"I have four children and my husband died three years ago. Now I sell vegetables and fish in Dar Naim, a poor neighbourhood where I've been living for 15 years. Buying water is expensive but I have no choice," said Aisha.

Residents in other Nouakchott neighbourhoods are facing a similar struggle as the capital grapples with water shortages amidst the intense summer heat.

Authorities estimate that 75 percent of homes in the capital are not connected to the water grid, and rely on water sellers.

Al-Sheikhani Weld al-Salek, a resident of the capital's Gaza neighbourhood said water shortages have driven up the price of a barrel of water to around $3, double the price of a few weeks ago.

Salek believes the problem will only increase into the summer because the government is unlikely solve the problem.

Al-Naji Weld Aali, another resident of Nouakchott says the whole city is affected by the water shortage. However, wealthy residents can afford to buy water, while most poor residents are left to struggle.

"By failing to act the authorities failure are only exacerbating the situation. Mauritanians already have to face poverty, unemployment and inflation. The water crisis is only increasing their suffering,” said Aali.

Al-Sheikh Weld al-Qutb, an environmentalist and water researcher, said the problem is because the land around Nouakchott suffers from high levels of salinity and a shortage of fresh water resources. Coupled with the government's failure to manage the water shortages, this has created the current crisis.

"Projects aimed at ending the capital's water crisis, from rainwater collection plants to desalination plants, have failed. The water shortage is the main problem facing consecutive Mauritanian governments,” he said.

Another environmental expert, Mohamamd al-Mukhtar Weld Jeddo, said the government needs to find ways to distribute water equally within the city, including to areas with unregulated housing that are not connected to the water grid.

The national water company said it was addressing the water shortage by providing water across the grid, and vehicles to distribute water to different parts of the capital.

Mauritanian authorities estimate that 75 percent of homes in the capital are not connected to the water grid, and rely on water sellers who get their water from unreliable public taps.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.