Washington — The World Bank today approved $200 million in financing to help Senegal improve safely managed sanitation services and water resources in priority water security hotspots.

This first phase of the Integrated Water Security and Sanitation Program for Senegal (PISEA) aims to improve access to drinking water and sanitation and build resilience to flood and drought risks.

"Reliable sanitation services provided under the first phase of PISEA will primarily benefit 600,000 inhabitants in greater Dakar. More than seven million people nationwide will benefit from improved water management, including 3,000 farmers who will be able to use treated wastewater to irrigate 600 hectares of land. And it will also help improve the Lac de Guiers water supply system," said Keiko Miwa, World Bank Country Director for Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal.

The funds will also be used to expand collective sanitation services in east Dakar and promote the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation.

"PISEA provides for the design and construction in greater Dakar of sewage systems covering a section of the communes of Pikine and Guédiawaye and an activated sludge treatment plant equipped with a tertiary treatment system. The treated water will then be sent back to the rural area of Niayes, where an irrigation distribution network will be built," noted Stéphane Dahan, World Bank Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist.

The other components of this financing cover groundwater recharge, reduction of non-revenue water loss, the promotion of citizen engagement, and the preparation of key sector reforms.

This project is financed by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank institution that supports countries in their development efforts. This is the first phase of the 10-year Multiphase Programmatic Approach operation for PISEA, representing a total investment of $800 million.