World Bank helps Bamako and Mali's secondary cities quench their thirst

The World Bank has approved a $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) to help Mali increase access to drinking water and improve the conservation of water sources in beneficiary cities.

The Mali Water Security Support Project (PASEMa) aims to enhance access to drinking water services in Bamako, particularly the left river bank area, and in secondary cities such as Mopti/Sévaré, San, Ouélessébougou, Dioila, and Bafoulabé/Mahina. In Bamako, the project will focus on water transfer between Djikoroni-Para, the Missira station, and Kati-Sud, including the construction of a pumping station at Missira and a 2,000 m³ water tower, as well as connecting households to the drinking water network.

For secondary cities, the project will establish water supply systems capable of providing 24,000 cubic meters of water per day. This includes production facilities, pumping stations, three water towers with a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters each, a semi-underground reservoir of 1,000 cubic meters, a water distribution network, household connections, and public water points in the outskirts. The project also plans to acquire leak detection equipment to reduce water loss, improve water supply quality, and enhance network efficiency to lower operating costs.

Additionally, PASEMa will support the development of perimeters to protect water sources located in the Niger and Senegal River basins, which supply the selected cities. Clara de Sousa, World Bank Country Director for Mali, stated, "PASEMa will make it possible to respond in a sustainable manner to the immediate concerns of access to drinking water, especially by prioritizing the preservation of water sources. It also lays the foundation for the long-term resilience of the sector and will contribute to growth in jobs and economic activity in the water sector."

The main beneficiaries of PASEMa are households in the project area and rural populations benefiting from restored ecosystems through nature-based solutions. The project will benefit about 500,000 people, with approximately 50% being women and 19.2% youth. Among these beneficiaries, 227,000 people will gain access to at least basic water services, 270,000 will benefit from improved service quality, and 30,000 people in rural areas near project sites will benefit from ecosystem restoration.