Overview of water resources and sustainable development impacts in Senegal

Abstract

Senegal's water resources and water economy system largely determines its sustainable socioeconomic development. Water resources and water sustainability for future generations, water and environmental security, public access to clean water, reliability and sustainability of water supplies to meet needs economy, the condition of water bodies and water resources, and the ability to predict and prevent damage from water-related emergencies, all play an important role in safety. national country. Water resources are national goods and natural resources which undergo quantitative and qualitative changes throughout the national territory. Water resources have been described as an essential resource that underpins economic growth, social development and, of course, environmental protection. This article examines in detail the concepts and links between water resources and sustainable development, the different sectors, and also the current situation of water resources in Senegal. Information is gathered from secondary sources and available statistics (books and the Internet). The results show the state of the deterioration of water resources and the rising demand for water from the population which is worsening with population growth, development and climate change. In 2017, 78.5% of the total population had access to drinking water, 92.9% in urban areas and 67.3% in rural areas. As for the total renewable water resources per capita, they are only 2459 m3 / capita / year and places Senegal in a situation of water vulnerability, a situation that will deteriorate further by 2 030 when a good part of the world's population will live under the grip of a weak or catastrophically weak water supply.

Full text

International Journal of Rural Development, Environment and Health Research (IJREH)
ISSN: 2456-8678
[Vol-5, Issue-3, May-Jun, 2021]
Issue DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijreh.5.3
Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijreh.5.3.7
Int. Ru. Dev. Env. He. Re. 2021 53
Vol-5, Issue-3; Online Available at: https://www.aipublications.com/ijreh/
Overview of water resources and sustainable development
impacts in Senegal
Cheikh Faye1, César Gomis2
1 Department of Geography, U.F.R. Sciences and Technologies, UASZ, Geomatics and Environment Laboratory, BP 523 Ziguinchor,
Senegal
Email: cheikh.faye@univ-zig.sn
2 PhD student, SSTSEG doctoral school - University of Poitiers RURALITES Laboratory (Rural, Urban, Links, Environment, Territories),
France
Email: cesar.gomis@univ-poitiers.fr
Received: 12 May 2021; Received in revised form: 11 Jun 2021; Accepted: 20 Jun 2021; Available online: 28 Jun 2021
©2021 The Author(s). Published by AI Publications. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Abstract—Senegal's water resources and water economy system largely determines its sustainable socio-
economic development. Water resources and water sustainability for future generations, water and
environmental security, public access to clean water, reliability and sustainability of water supplies to meet
needs economy, the condition of water bodies and water resources, and the ability to predict and prevent
damage from water-related emergencies, all play an important role in safety. national country. Water
resources are national goods and natural resources which undergo quantitative and qualitative changes
throughout the national territory. Water resources have been described as an essential resource that
underpins economic growth, social development and, of course, environmental protection. This article
examines in detail the concepts and links between water resources and sustainable development, the
different sectors, and also the current situation of water resources in Senegal. Information is gathered from
secondary sources and available statistics (books and the Internet). The results show the state of the
deterioration of water resources and the rising demand for water from the population which is worsening
with population growth, development and climate change. In 2017, 78.5% of the total population had
access to drinking water, 92.9% in urban areas and 67.3% in rural areas. As for the total renewable water
resources per capita, they are only 2459 m3 / capita / year and places Senegal in a situation of water
vulnerability, a situation that will deteriorate further by 2 030 when a good part of the world's population
will live under the grip of a weak or catastrophically weak water supply.
Keywords— Water resources, Sustainable development, Water measurement, Water need, Senegal.
I. INTRODUCTION
Freshwater is a vital resource for life. It is essential for the
survival of natural ecosystems and human activities. Until
the middle of the 20th century, water was considered an
inexhaustible resource that each user could appropriate,
possess and exploit according to his or her needs
(Honegger and Tabarly, 2011). In order to satisfy their
vital needs, people use water for their various economic
activities. This situation has led to a sectoral and
competitive use of the resource, a management that is the
cause of many problems such as conflicts, degradation of
water quality and environmental problems, unequal
distribution and decline of water resources (Batcho, 2008).
In a nation, water resources and water saving systems
largely determine its sustainable socio-economic
development, public access to clean water, reliability and
sustainability of water supplies to meet the needs of the
economy, the condition of water bodies and water
resources, and the ability to predict and prevent damage
from water-related emergencies, all of which play an
important role in the national security of any state
(Thipperudrappa and Dhananjaya, 2020).

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The combined effects of population growth, rising incomes
and urban expansion will lead to an exponential increase in
demand for water, while the supply of the resource will
become more irregular and uncertain (Camara and
Bangoura, 2017). Without immediate action, water will
become a scarce resource in areas where it is abundant
today. The impact of water scarcity will be felt in all socio-
economic activities, including agriculture, health, energy
and income (Olivier, 2016). Faced with these multiple
problems that do not guarantee the sustainability of water
resources and the environment, water resources are
increasingly limited and vulnerable (Sinarinzi, 2010). They
are limited by a variety of factors such as climatic
conditions, uneven distribution of rainfall, the shared
nature of the resource, strong demographic pressure and
poor water management. In order to cope with this and to
establish rational management of water resources, the
assessment of water availability is a fundamental step
(Faye et al., 2019).
In Africa, water is the primary vector of childhood illness,
with more than 70-80% of diseases on the continent linked
to poor water quality. Also, the resource is unevenly
distributed geographically. According to the World Bank,
water scarcity exacerbated by climate change could cause
some regions of the world to experience a decline in GDP
of around 6%, provoke migrations and trigger conflicts
(Camara and Bangoura, 2017). In addition, there are
imperfections in water management, a focus on developing
new sources rather than better managing existing ones, and
sectoral approaches to water management that result in
uncoordinated development and management of the
resource (CAP-Net, 2005).
In Senegal, the potential for water resources (surface and
groundwater) is significant and the availability of
renewable water is currently estimated at around 4,747
m3/capita/year (CONGAD, 2009). However, the issue of water
has become a national concern given the series of
challenges facing the sector: scarcity, randomness of
rainfall, vulnerability of water resources, disparity in their
spatial distribution, current or potential conflicts arising
from their exploitation and overexploitation, degradation
of their quality, inequity in access to water resources
between areas, social groups, different socio-economic
activities, etc. (Ministry of Hydraulics/Department of
Agriculture, 2009). (Ministry of Hydraulics/DGPRE,
2007). The water crisis is explained by a combination of
absolute scarcity of physical availability, poverty and
inadequate water management policies.
In general, Senegal has significant water resource potential
but its uneven distribution, overabundance in the rainy
season often causes catastrophic floods and shortage in the
dry season causes severe drought conditions resulting in
crop and livestock losses, public health problems and
environmental degradation (Faye and Diéye, 2018). The
challenges facing the Senegalese water sector are due to
increased water consumption and wastage in urban areas,
water-borne diseases, industrial growth, political and
regulatory conflicts, imbalances in the water cycle,
increased demand for irrigation and agriculture, lack of
technology, etc.
The country has a significant water resources potential that
can increase agricultural productivity, industrial
production, income, healthy human development and
eradicate poverty. Water resources play a special role in
developing the national economy and supporting social
and economic programmes in the country's regions.
However, there is an urgent need to move to new forms of
water management, in order to comply with the
recommendations of the World Summits (Rio-Dublin in
January 1992 and Johannesburg in August 2002). In the
context of water resources management for the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), this article examines in detail the concepts and
links between water resources and sustainable
development, the different water needs and sectoral
measures, and also the current water resources situation in
Senegal.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study is based on secondary data only. The main data
were collected from the databases of the Directorate of
Water Resources Management and Planning (DGPRE),
the National Agency for Statistics and Demography
(ANSD), the Ministry of Hydraulics, other ministries and
other institutions. For other data, various files, books,
articles, newsletters and published journals relevant to this
theme were used. This extensive literature review allowed
us to collect various available data and information related
to the relationship between water resources and
sustainable development in Senegal, and in areas where
similar studies have been conducted.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Links between water resources and sustainable
development
Water resources: Water resources have been described as
an essential resource that underpins economic growth,
social development and, clearly, environmental protection
now and in the future. (Love and Luchisinger, 2014).
Currently, 76% of the total population has a specific water
availability of less than 5,000 m3 per year per capita, with
35% having a very low or catastrophically low water

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supply. This situation will deteriorate further early in the
next century; by 2025, most of the world's population will
be living under the influence of low or catastrophically
low water supply (Thipperudrappa and Dhananjaya,
2020). According to Irina Bokova, Director-General of
UNESCO, in an official statement, "Water resources are a
key element of poverty alleviation policies, but are
sometimes themselves threatened by development. Water
directly influences our future, which is why we must
change the way we value, manage and use this resource in
the face of ever-increasing demand and overexploitation
of our groundwater resources. In his official statement for
World Water Day (2013), Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary
General, states that "Water is the key to sustainable
development, we must work together to protect and
carefully manage this fragile and limited resource".
Sustainable development: In its 1987 report, Our
Common Future, the United Nations World Commission
on Environment and Development (Brundtland
Commission) defined "sustainable development" as
"development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs". The concept of sustainable development,
agreed at the UN Conference on Environmental
Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, has become a
major strategy for most countries. It aims to improve
human life while preserving environmental potential and
allowing for the prudent use of natural resources.
Sustainable development can be achieved by introducing
progressive nature and energy conservation technologies,
while not depleting resources or harming the environment.
Links between water resources and sustainable
development: Herman E. Daly, former Chief Economist of
the World Bank, proposes the following three operational
rules defining the condition of ecological sustainability: (i)
Renewable resources such as fish, soil and groundwater
should not be used faster than the rate of their
regeneration. (ii) Non-renewable resources such as
minerals and fossil fuels should not be used faster than
renewable substitutes can be developed. (iii) Pollution and
waste should not be emitted faster than natural systems
can absorb, recycle or render them harmless. To describe
sustainability, human activity should at least use nature's
resources only at a rate that allows their natural
replenishment. One way to implement these rules is to
examine how the use of renewable resources can be
compared to the rate of renewal, as follows:
Table 1: Definitions of sustainability (source: Smith and Zhang, 2007)
Consumption of renewable resources
State of the environment
Sustainability
More than nature's ability to reconstitute
Environmental degradation
Not sustainable
Equal to nature's ability to replenish
Environmental balance
Stable state
Less than nature's ability to replenish
Renewal of the environment
Sustainable development
While at the beginning of the new millennium the more
developed countries have managed to stabilise the
ecological situation, the developing countries still persist
with unsustainable practices and techniques of natural
resource use. In the more developed countries, the stable
ecological situation has been achieved through intense
promotion of scientific and technical progress. New
resource-replenishment technologies, large investments in
industrial reconstruction and nature protection measures
are well implemented. In contrast, most other countries,
generally underdeveloped, preside over large-scale
exploitation and sale of natural resources, which further
degrades the environment.
3.2 Current water resources situation in Senegal
The Republic of Senegal, located on the westernmost tip of
the African continent, covers an area of 1,722 km². Its
population is 13,508,715 (ANSD, 2013). A coastal country
with 700 km of Atlantic coastline, Senegal is located
between 12.5° and 16.5° north latitude and 12° and 17°
west longitude. Given the variations in rainfall in space
and time, there are three climatic domains in Senegal, from
south to north: the southern Sudanian, northern Sudanian
and Sahelian domains, each with two variants (one coastal
and one continental) (Faye et al. , 2017). Annual rainfall
varies on average from about 1250 mm in the south to just
over 200 mm in the north. This climate is marked by an
alternation between a rainy season and a dry season, a
period during which water becomes a truly scarce
resource, while the demand for water is at its highest.

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Fig. 1: Watersheds draining Senegal (Source: DGPRE)
Senegal's water resource potential (surface and
groundwater) is significant. Three rivers that have their
source in Guinea (Senegal, Gambia and Kayanga rivers)
water a large part of the country. Thus, Senegal has a fairly
rich and diversified hydrological potential. Most of the
surface water reserves are located in the Senegal and
Gambia river basins, whose waters come from the Fouta
Djallon massif in the Republic of Guinea (Sané, 2015). In
addition to these two large rivers, there are smaller rivers
with intermittent flows. These include the Casamance, the
Kayanga with its main tributary the Anambé, the Sine, the
Saloum and the coastal marigots (Fig. 1). A number of
listed lakes and ponds complete this hydrographic
network; the most important being: the Lac de Guiers, the
bolongs of the estuarine areas and the ponds of the Niayes
region of the northern coast and the Ferlo (Faye and Diéye,
2018).
Groundwater has always been an essential component of
Senegal's water potential, but even more so since the onset
of the drought. The country has four major aquifer systems
corresponding to the main geological formations: the
superficial aquifer system (estimated reserves of 50-75
km²); the intermediate aquifer system (estimated reserves
of 100 km²); the deep aquifer system (estimated reserves
of 300-500 km²); and the basement aquifer system (low
reserves) (Faye et al., 2019).
The amount of water available, as reported by FAO
(2020), is presented in Table 1. Total renewable water
resources (surface water, groundwater, inland water and
external water) are estimated at 38.97 km3/year in 2017.
Surface renewable water resources are estimated at 36.97
km3/year and internal renewable water resources at around
25.8 km3/year, giving a dependency index of 33.8%
(Table 2). Today, unfortunately, Senegal's water resources
are threatened by the extent of drought and climate change.

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Table 2: Available renewable water resources from 1992 to 2017 in Senegal (Source: FAO, 2020)
Parameters
1992
1997
2002
2007
2012
2017
Total population (1000 inhabitants)
8030
9197
10397
11874
13704
15851
Rural population (1000 inhabitants)
4899
5540
6175
6931
7832
8825
Urban population (1000 inhabitants)
3131
3657
4222
4943
5872
7026
Population density (inhabitants /km2)
40.82
46.75
52.85
60.36
69.67
80.58
Total inland renewable water resources (10^9 m3/year)
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.8
Total external renewable water resources (10^9 m3/year)
13.17
13.17
13.17
13.17
13.17
13.17
Total renewable surface water resources (10^9 m3/year)
36.97
36.97
36.97
36.97
36.97
36.97
Total renewable groundwater resources (10^9 m3/year)
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
Total renewable water resources (10^9 m3/year)
38.97
38.97
38.97
38.97
38.97
38.97
Dependency index (%)
33.8
33.8
33.8
33.8
33.8
33.8
Total renewable water resources per capita (m3/capita/year)
4853
4237
3748
3282
2844
2459
Inland renewable water resources per capita (m3/capita/year)
3213
2805
2481
2173
1883
1628
Total freshwater withdrawal (10^9 m3/year)
2.221
Operating index (in %)
5.71
Total capacity of dams (km3)
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
Capacity of dams per capita (m3/capita)
31.13
27.18
24.05
21.05
18.24
15.77
Total population with access to safe water (%)
61.4
65.2
68.9
72.6
76.3
78.5
Rural population with access to safe water (%)
43.4
48.6
53.8
59.0
64.2
67.3
Urban population with access to safe water (%)
89.4
90.2
90.9
91.7
92.5
92.9
The total volume of renewable groundwater available is
estimated at 3.5 km3/year (Table 1). This groundwater is
the main source of reliable and safe drinking water in rural
areas and many cities, for the irrigation of thousands of
hectares of arable land and for livestock watering. Many
mines and industries also rely on groundwater for their
supplies. In 2002, withdrawals from water resources in
Senegal amounted to 2,221 million m3, of which 2,065
million for agriculture (93%), 98 million for communities
(4.4%) and 58 million for industry (2.6%) (FAO. 2020).
The irrigation potential varies, according to the different
estimates, from 160,000 ha to over 640,000 ha. Given the
considerable potential of the country's water reserves, the
exploitation index was relatively low (5.75% in 2002).
In Senegal, social development is leading to an increasing
demand for water. Water plays a central role in most
national planning initiatives, such as agricultural
development, energy security, tourism and recreation,
mining, industry and municipal water supply (Mwendera
and Atyosi, 2018). Population and urban growth in the
region is putting great pressure on available water
resources, which are often limited in dry saoson.
According to the FAO (2020), renewable freshwater
resources per capita are constantly decreasing. They have
thus gone from 11612 m3 in Senegal in 1958-62 to only
2459 m3 in 2017. These results show that Senegal is already
in a situation of water vulnerability (below 2,500
m3/capita/year), an evolution that should lead it in the future
first to a situation of water stress (below 1,700 m3/capita/year)
and then to water shortage (below 1,000 m3/capita/year).
Although the country has rivers of great hydraulic
capacity (more than 26 billion m3 per year), vast areas that
were once crossed by watercourses have become almost
totally deprived of surface water as a result of the drying
up of rivers (Sané, 2015). This is a cause for concern as
water consumption is increasing exponentially in relation
to Senegal's population growth. The logical outcome of
such a situation could be competition for the resource
(Boinet, 2011). Senegal could seek to reduce its own
uncertainty with regard to water resources by developing
the rivers that cross its territory to improve water
availability for users, without using force to safeguard
the interests of other riparian countries on this issue of
national security (Descroix and Lasserre, 2003).

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Generally, in Senegal, while the water resource potential
is in theory relatively abundant (38.97 km3/year in
2017), it is starting to become unsatisfactory in relation
to the population (2459 m3 per capita), and could
eventually place the country in a situation of physical
water scarcity. Added to this is the relatively low level of
development (GDP per capita of US$911) which
translates into a lack of investment in water or a lack of
human capacity to meet the country's water demands.
Senegal would therefore be faced with a 'social' scarcity
of water (Julien, 2006), i.e. a probable economic water
shortage, hence the interest in establishing human control
of water resources. Human control of water resources,
understood here as the ability of societies to mobilise and
control (fresh) water across space and time, represents a
formidable tool for sustainable socio-economic
development (Grey and Sadoff, 2006).
3.3 Measures for water resources and sustainable
development in Senegal
Faced with the deterioration of water resources due to
pollution, agricultural activities and the increase in the
population's demand for water, the Senegalese state has for
several decades pursued a policy of water management
aimed at providing the various sectors with sufficient
water in appropriate quantities and of appropriate quality
according to use in order to accelerate balanced
development (Faye et al., 2019). In order to be in line with
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG
6, Senegal has committed to sustainable water resource
management to ensure universal and equitable access to
safe and affordable drinking water for all populations by
2030. The urgency of channelling more effort into
monitoring and reporting on this aspect of water
sustainability is reinforced by the broad coverage of the
Sustainable Development Goals related to water
infrastructure.
A holistic approach needs to be adopted to measure the
quality of water infrastructure against national and rural
water resource objectives related to increasing access to
safe water and sanitation (Thipperudrappa and
Dhananjaya, 2020). In addition, the demand for water
infrastructure in Senegal is expected to increase, mainly
due to the rising domestic demand for agricultural products
(rice, maize, millet, sorghum, onions, potatoes, sugar, etc.)
among the growing Senegalese population and the shift in
dietary trends towards middle class diets.
The prospects of widening gaps between demand and
supply in Senegal's main and most agricultural river basins
- the Senegal River (in the valley), the Kayanga (in the
Anambé basin), by 2030, underline the need for robust
monitoring and reporting on the capacity of Senegal's
water infrastructure to meet future needs effectively. In the
context of the rice self-sufficiency project, many projects,
notably in the field of water control and rice production,
are in the pipeline or in the early stages of implementation
to strengthen the dynamics of agricultural development on
the left bank of the Senegal River (Senegal River Valley)
and in the Anambé basin (Faye and Diéye, 2018). Finally,
our analysis of the state of reporting on water resources by
state-owned enterprises in Senegal highlights a lack of
temporal measurement of the sustainability of water
resources in the Senegalese water economy. For the
Senegalese government and the companies within its
economy, the failure to measure temporal trends across
different water sustainability indicators summarises the
progress Senegal has made in navigating towards a
sustainable water resources future.
Table 3: Projected water withdrawals from various sectors of the Senegalese economy (Source: FAO, 2020)
Parameters
2002
2010
2030
2050
Total population (inhabitants)
10283694
12678142
21551461
33186850
Total renewable water resources (10^9 m3/year)
38.97
38.97
38.97
38.97
Total renewable water resources per capita
(m3/capita/year)
3789
3074
1808
1174
Water withdrawal for agriculture (10^9 m3/year)
2.065
2.546
4.328
6.664
Water withdrawal for industrial uses (10^9 m3/year)
0.058
0.072
0.122
0.187
Water withdrawal for municipalities (10^9 m3/year)
0.098
0.121
0.205
0.316
Total water withdrawal (sum of sectors) (10^9
m3/year)
2.221
2.738
4.655
7.167
Operating index (in %)
5.70
7.03
11.94
18.39

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The Water Resources Framework - Current State of
Sustainable Development shows how water policy is
linked to policies in other sectors, including agriculture,
industry, ecology and energy, health, transport. The
average annual water availability of a region or country
depends largely on hydrometeorological and geological
factors and is generally constant (e.g. in Senegal it is
estimated at 38.97 km3/year from 1962 to 2017). In
contrast, the average annual per capita water availability
estimated in Senegal has decreased from 11506 m3 in 1962
to only 2459 m3 in 2017, which could further decrease, if
the 2.5% population growth is maintained, to 1808 and
1174 cubic metres respectively in 2030 (with a total
population of 21551461 inhabitants) and 2050 (with a
total population of 33186850 inhabitants)
According to the FAO (2020), total renewable water
resources are estimated at 38.97 km3/year, while the long-
term average annual rainfall is 134.9 km3/year. Estimated
in proportion to the size of the population, based on water
withdrawals in Senegal which amounted to 2221 million m3
in 2002 (FAO, 2020), projections of water withdrawals
from various sectors of the Senegalese economy are shown
in Table 3. These water withdrawals are estimated at 4655
and 7167 million m3 in 2030 and 2050 respectively.
This increase in water abstraction is explained by the rise
in water needs linked to the increase in population and the
multiplication of projects with an agricultural connotation.
In order to achieve self-sufficiency in rice, the pace of
hydro-agricultural development has increased. In this
context, 23691 ha of new developments and 18830 ha of
rehabilitation are underway in the Senegal River valley
(Diouf, 2017). Moreover, out of an irrigable potential of
240,000 ha, an area of 1,964,040 ha has been developed.
In the Anambé basin, the revival of the agricultural and
particularly rice production in the irrigated area of the
Anambé basin has always been a major concern of the
Senegalese government in order to better face the food and
socio-economic crisis. In the 2016 winter season, more
than 3,700 ha were sown in the developed area (Mballo,
2017).
With the intensification of irrigated agriculture, water
needs have increased sharply, as have the needs for
drinking water supply for an ever-growing population.
Indeed, for almost a decade, the supply of drinking water
to Dakar has been characterised by high demand due to
population growth, the construction of new economic
development centres (Diamniadio, Lac Rose, Diass) and
tourist centres in the Petite Côte. The current production
capacity of 421,000 m3/d is highly insufficient to meet the
estimated water needs of around 659,000 m3/d in 2025 in
the Dakar-Thiès-Mbour/Petite Côte triangle. In 2013, for
the entire urban area conceded to SONES and operated by
SDE, peak consumption reached 328,000 m3/d for an
installed capacity of 331,000 m3/d, which reflects a
significant tension between supply and demand, frequently
affecting the continuity of service in several
neighbourhoods in Dakar and its suburbs. This tension
exposes the supply system to major malfunctions in the -
event of production disruptions (Faye and Diéye, 2018).
3.4 Sustainable water resource management in Senegal
Due to the multiplicity of water uses, the issues related to
water resources management cannot be validly understood
in a global manner through a sectoral approach. To this
end, an integrated water resources management approach
was initiated in 2004 by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Hydraulics under the guidance of the Directorate for Water
Resources Management and Planning (DGPRE).
SDG 6 proposes to ensure the availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all. A specific
target is to achieve universal and equitable access to safe
and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 (Ndour,
2016). The challenges and obstacles to the sustainable
development of water resources in Senegal can be divided
into transboundary and national categories. Most of
Senegal's freshwater resources are located in
transboundary river systems and shared river basins that
need to be managed and protected through a strong
commitment to regional collaboration (Thiam, 2016).
Senegal's dependence on water flows from upper riparian
countries is the primary cause of the vulnerability of this
precious resource. Of the total annual renewable flows of
38.97 billion m3 of water in the territory, 13.17 (33.8%)
come from outside. Unilateral control of surface water
flows in transboundary basins by upstream riparian
countries (such as Guinea and Mali) would lead to water
insecurity in Senegal and would be a major obstacle to
sustainable water resource development. This explains the
policy of cooperation established by Senegal with the
countries with which it shares the same catchment areas:
this is the case with the Organisation pour la Mise en
Valeur du fleuve Sénégal and the Organisation pour la
Mise en Valeur du fleuve Gambie.
Although many changes have been made to water policies
in Senegal, many environmental, physical, socio-economic
and other challenges remain to be solved. In general, while
water resources are abundant in Senegal, their use is often
inefficient. Thus, the challenges in the water resources
sector are multiple due to the increase in water
consumption and wastage in urban areas, water-borne
diseases, economic growth, conflicts of use, imbalances in
the water cycle, increase in demand for irrigation and
agriculture, lack of technology, etc (Faye, 2017). Among
other challenges, there is poor management, lack of

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investment, weak policy and administration, weak
technology. This justifies a number of suggestions that
could be made from this study: improve incentive
programmes for the effective and efficient use of water
resources within the framework of sustainable
development; get NGOs and the government actively
involved in raising awareness of water resources
programmes in rural and urban areas. The State must
therefore ensure the supply of drinking water to urban and
rural populations, develop sustainable agriculture through
the optimal use of the country's water potential, meet the
water needs of industries, and manage the sustainability of
the country's water resources.
IV. CONCLUSION
Inspired by these efforts, "water for all" remains an
unfulfilled programme of the Senegalese government. The
existing water system does not effectively meet the water
needs of the economy and the people. Water is an
inseparable natural resource on this earth. The preservation
of water resources should be a priority. The sustainability
of water resources will determine the well-being of the
population in the long term. Furthermore, an attempt was
made to understand the state of water resources and
sustainable development in Senegal. It was to identify that
serious and truthful dimensions are needed to conserve
water resources in terms of quantity and quality.
Monitoring and development of water resources have been
important considerations in Senegal since 1960. The
characteristics of water availability and supply have been
influenced by environmental changes and socio-economic
factors. Senegal has developed water management
policies, through a series of progressive reforms, to
provide an ongoing response to these environmental
conditions. Nevertheless, the water sector faces a set of
persistent challenges such as the increasing demand for
water due to population growth, the need for acceptable
water quality in many areas, the insufficient and inefficient
practical implementation of the water management system,
and the uncertainties associated with climate change.
Senegal is privileged and lucky to have a rich and varied
water resource potential. However, the quality of this
precious resource is deteriorating rapidly. Only by better
understanding the sources of pollution and the processes
that affect the quantity and quality of water can it be saved
for present and future generations. In addition, there are
collective management actions with its immediate
neighbours with the establishment of basin organisations.
The population of the basins can also play a role in the
preservation of water quality. Moreover, all the riparian
countries of the basins that cross the national territory must
continue to unite their efforts (OMVS on the Senegal,
OMVG on the Gambia) to protect this precious resource.
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