NEWS in brief
facilities along Cape Town’s shoreline and at certain inland
locations. “These RO plants could be either modular,
containerized, mounted on a barge, or mounted on a sea-
going vessel,” the RfI says.
The aim is to commission the first plants by August 2017.
Source: desalination.biz
Sudan
EU Grants €10 Million for North Darfur Water Basin
Project
El Fasher — The European Union (EU) will finance the
second phase of the Wadi El Kou Basin project in North
Darfur with €10 million.
The second phase of the project will start in October this
year and will last for five years.
The North Darfur Minister of Agriculture, Anwar Ishag,
announced the grant in the state capital of El Fasher in
a press conference yesterday, together with visiting EU
adviser Magda Nassif.
The Minister called for further cooperation with the EU
concerning the implementation the second phase of the
project.
EU adviser Nassif said that she will sit with the project’s
advisory and technical committees, and will discuss the
project as well with other stakeholders and leaders of the
local communities to select the project areas.
She pointed out that the EU has tentatively suggested that
the second phase of the lowland valley project be started
up to the highland valley.
The geographical scope of the project focuses on the
Wadi El Kou which is a seasonal river on which around
700,000 people depend, the EU states on its International
Cooperation website. The project will directly target
80,000 smallholder producers (farmers and pastoralists),
and will indirectly benefit the 700,000 people dependent
on the catchment.
The programme will ensure a participatory and
community-based catchment management system for the
Wadi El Kou basin, which will promote climate change
resilience, livelihoods and stability, therefore tackling
forced displacement and improving livelihoods.
South Sudan
Clean water runs dry in Juba, South Sudan
In South Sudan, only 55% of the people have access to safe
d rinking water. And due to increased costs of production,
water providers in Juba are producing less and charging
Around Africa
more, squeezing
people’s access to
safe water even
further.
People
living
in urban areas,
particularly
in
poorer
Fetching water with jerry-cans from one of
neighborhoods,
borehole
pumps. Credit: Stella Madete/Oxfam
have been hardest
hit. They can no
longer afford to buy enough safe water. Those who still
can afford it, now spend twice as much as they did just a
few months ago.
610,000 people living in South Sudan’s urban areas are
now struggling with the cost of living that has increased
by nearly 30% in the first half of 2015. Putting food on
the table becomes the priority. Buying safe water, often
and quite understandably takes second place.
Ultimately, ending the war is the starting point to solving
this crisis. Oxfam appeals to South Sudanese leaders to
work towards building lasting peace and re-committing to
providing essential services for their people.
Throughout Juba, Oxfam is fixing boreholes, supporting
effective chlorination of water delivered by water trucks
and increasing water treatment infrastructure for bicycle
vendors to increase supply of safe water.
In one Protection of Civilian (PoC) site within a UN base in
Juba where over 28,000 people live in crowded conditions,
Oxfam is promoting good cleanliness practices, such as
hand washing and the cleaning of water storage facilities.
Oxfam is also installing hand washing facilities at strategic
locations within the site and working with restaurant
owners to raise awareness about the importance of using
clean treated water for cooking and selling food.
However, concerted action from the government of South
Sudan as well as increased funding from international
donors is needed to ensure people get enough clean water.
Tanzania
Water Bill Dodgers Face Magufuli Wrath
By Katare Mbashiru
In what can be termed as a replica of a directive he
issued to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited
(TANESCO) three months ago, President John Magufuli
has ordered the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage
Company (Dawasco) to disconnect water from all
government institutions with outstanding bills amounting
to Tsh. 40billion.
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • July - August 2017
5