Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Water Distribution Network in Nouakchott
Loan No: 555 Interest Rate: 2.5 %
Beneficiary: Société Nationale de L'Eau (SNDE) Grace Period: 7 years
Project Cost: KD 39.6 million Maturity: 25 years
Amount of Loan: KD 10.0 million Repayment: 37 semi-annual installments
Date of Board Approval: 2010-11-24 First Installment: 7 years following the first disbursement
Date of Loan Agreement: 2010-11-24 Date of Loan Effectiveness: -


Objectives:

The project aims at achieving full benefit from the drinking water that will be available from the Senegal River Water Supply Project (Aftout Essaheli). This will be accomplished through transportation and distribution of water to the residents of the capital Nouakchott, to cover their current and future needs. The project will help alleviate the problem of lack of drinking water from which the residents of Nouakchott have been suffering for many years. In addition to the high price they pay to purchase water from street vendors. The project will also help improve the efficiency of the water distribution network, and the living and health standards of the city residents.

Description:

The project consists of transporting Aftout Essaheli water to different areas of Nouakchott and delivering it to the distribution networks. The project includes the construction of reservoirs, water pumping stations, water sterilization stations, laying of pipelines, replacement of old household connections and installation of new ones. The project also includes technical services and institutional support to SNDE. The project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2015, consists of the following main components:

  1. Water Transport to Distribution Network Facilities: This includes the laying of pipelines with a total length of about 13 km with diameters varying between 400 and 700 mm, and adding a pump to the treated water pumping station with a capacity of about 2100 m3/h and a height of about 38 m. It also includes the construction of 2 pumping stations with a capacity of about 1200 m3/h and a height of about 25 m for each station, the construction of a water sterilization station and the rehabilitation of the existing pumping station near the central reservoir.
  2. Rehabilitation of City Center Water Distribution Networks: This includes the rehabilitation and strengthening of the distribution networks in the center of Nouakchott. This will be accomplished by laying about 156 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 500 mm, the replacement of 5000 household connections and the installation of 1000 new ones.
  3. Rehabilitation of Sebkha and El Mina Networks: This includes the rehabilitation and strengthening of Sebkha and El Mina networks. This will be accomplished by laying about 141 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 500 mm, the extension of the networks by laying about 60 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 315 mm, the replacement of 7000 household connections and the installation of 17000 new ones.
  4. Rehabilitation of Tevragh-Zeina Networks: This includes the rehabilitation and strengthening of Tevragh-Zeina networks. This will be accomplished by laying about 117 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 500 mm, the extension of the networks by laying about 11 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 315 mm, the replacement of 3900 household connections and the installation of 3100 new ones.
  5. Rehabilitation of Teyarett and Dar Naim Networks: This includes the rehabilitation and strengthening of Teyarett and Dar Naim networks. This will be accomplished by laying about 162 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 500 mm, the extension of the networks by laying about 53 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 315 mm, the replacement of 1650 household connections and the installation of 15000 new ones.
  6. Rehabilitation of Arafat and Riad Networks: This includes the construction of a reservoir with a capacity of 5000 m3 and a pumping station with a capacity of about 1800 m3/h with a height of about 30 m, in addition to the rehabilitation and strengthening of Arafat and Riad networks. This will be accomplished by the laying of about 122 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 500 mm, the extension of the networks by laying about 53 km of pipelines with diameters varying between 75 and 315 mm, the replacement of 3700 household connections and the installation of 15000 new ones.
  7. Technical Services: This includes technical and consultancy services needed for preparing tender documents, and the supervision of project execution.
  8. Institutional Support: This includes providing consultancy and support to enable SNDE to develop its administrative and financial systems, and train its workers, in addition to purchasing equipment, in order to improve the company’s performance and capabilities.

Financing:

The Arab Fund’s loan covers about 25.0% of the total project cost. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Saudi Development Fund and the Islamic Development Bank are also expected to contribute to the financing of the project. The Mauritanian Government will cover the remaining cost of the project and any additional cost that may arise.