Strategic Projects to secure the Supply of Drinking Water to Nouakchott

In recent years, the capital Nouakchott has witnessed increasing challenges in meeting the growing demand for drinking water, due to rapid population growth and urban expansion, making strengthening water security a key priority for the water and sanitation sector.

In this context, His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, oversaw at the end of last November in the village of Beni Naaji in the Trarza region, the launch and expansion of major strategic projects aimed at securing the capital’s water supply in the medium and long term, including the expansion of the Aftout coastal facilities and the inauguration of a new sediment removal plant.

Since 2020, the sector has implemented a series of measures to improve production and distribution, including the rehabilitation of the pumping station in Idini, extending two 500 mm pipes towards Nouakchott, and maintaining the Aftout coastal facilities, which has enabled production to increase from 132,000 cubic meters per day to about 200,000 cubic meters per day, even though demand still exceeds supply.

In parallel, an expansion of the Aftout Coastal facilities is being carried out with French funding of 43 million euros, to increase production capacity to 225,000 cubic meters per day, in addition to upgrading treatment and pumping stations.