Water Crisis in Cities:

Gov’t Inching Towards a Lasting Solution

There is chronic water shortage in most cities in Cameroon

The minister of Energy and Water Resources Dr. Basile Atangana Kouna is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the current water crisis rocking major cities in Cameroon find a lasting solution. Atangana Kouna undertook a recent trip to North Cameroon to evaluate the situation there and seek appropriate solutions.

The Leasing and Concession Follow-up Committee for Potable Water in Urban and Peri-urban Centres also met in Yaounde recently to diagnose and make proposals for a lasting solution.

For the past one year Yaounde has witnessed infrastructural development and replacement of pipes to ensure that corners of the city are well served. Other towns and cities are undergoing similar water dev’t projects, while changes have been made at the helm of CAMWATER to ensure more proactive action.

                The management of CAMWATER says the Akomnyada Water Treatment Plant in the Nyong and So'o Division of the Centre Region is under extension, to provide an additional 35,000 cubic metres per day.

                CAMWATER's General Manager, said that all was almost ready for the plant to be functional. Many dates have been given for the take-off of the Akomnyada Water Treatment Plant, but management says the project implementation has been complex like many others.

                The problem has been identified and experts from Geofor are already in the field to fill the holes which, according to CAMWATER GM, stem from the difficulty to make water from the Nyong River drinkable. The treatment exercise is ongoing, with CAMWATER officials stressing that inhabitants of the city of Yaoundé will witness an increase in water supply in the next two weeks.

                The General Manager of CAMWATER was speaking on the sidelines on the Concessions and Leasing Follow-up Committee for Potable Water Supply Projects in Urban and Peri-urban Centres. 

                The Minister of Water and Energy, Basile Atangana Kouna, Chairperson of the Committee, disclosed that government was working on reinstating financial equilibrium to the sector.

                The move comes eight years into the existence of the committee, with Water and Energy Minister, acknowledging the dividends of Public Private Partnership in the mobilisation of resources for the refurbishment of infrastructure.

                Over 10 projects are being implemented in some cities within the framework of the project that covers over 106 urban and peri-urban centres.

                Four of the 11 boreholes earmarked for execution in the Littoral Region are already in service (additional 20,000 cubic metres per day), the Deputy General Manager of CAMWATER. revealed.

                Over 40 towns are currently witnessing the implementation of projects within the framework and committee members state that boreholes will soon go operational in towns like Bafoussam, Bamenda, Bangante, Foumban, Kribi, Sangmelima amongst others.