EIB finances Bamako’s drinking water and sanitation system with EUR 50 million loan.
On the sidelines of the European Development Days, Dr Boubou Cissé, Minister of the Economy and Finance of the Republic of Mali, and Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), signed a EUR 50 million agreement to finance development of the drinking water supply and sanitation network of the city of Bamako.
This is a priority project for the city of Bamako, which is faced with rampant urbanisation and ever increasing water access needs.
It will provide the Malian capital and its surroundings with both an adequate drinking water supply and a high quality sustainable sanitation system, with the aim of meeting the people’s urgent drinking water access needs and improving their daily living conditions.
Under the drinking water component, capacity will be doubled from 144 000 to 288 000 m³/day, and 25 000 m³ of new reservoirs, 30 km of water mains and 545 km of distribution network, comprising 34 000 connections and 600 standpipes, will be built and brought into service by 2021.
“’He who brings you water, brings you life’ is a Malian saying.
On 16 April this year, in the Council of Ministers, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, urged the Prime Minister and his government to implement without delay the Presidential Social Emergency programme for the period 2017-2020.
Thanks to this EU financing, the city of Bamako and its surroundings will be provided with a high quality drinking water supply and sanitation service.
We are delighted to be financing this sustainable development project, which forms part of our priority action in support of Mali.” The EIB also financed Bamako’s drinking water master plan.
This project is being cofinanced by the AFD, IDB, WADB and AfDB, which has concentrated on financing the Bamako Sanitation Project.

South Asian Countries to Face ‘Chronic or Recurrent’ Lack of Clean Water by 2050.
On Tuesday United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out to the Security Council that of the UN’s 193 member states, three quarters share lake basins and rivers with neighboring nations.
"Strains on water access are already rising in all regions," Guterres said.
"Water, peace and security are inextricably linked," he added.
"Without effective management of our water resources, we risk intensified disputes between communities and sectors and increased tensions among nations."
The UN is prepared to address possible conflict stemming from scarcity by engaging in diplomatic efforts, Guterres said.
"If current patterns of consumption continue unabated, two-thirds of the world’s population will be facing water shortages as a daily reality by 2025."
More than 2.5 billion people already don’t have access to sanitation and more than 800 million don’t have access to safe drinking water, according to Morales, who presided over the meeting.
Bolivia has suffered devastating droughts in recent years.
Britain gave $30 million to such efforts over the past five years.

Increasingly, scientists and activists are enabling citizen observers to collect data and upload it to the cloud with the aim of pushing all stakeholders — government agencies, corporations and citizens — toward change.
"These initiatives are very important for empowering citizens, making more data available — and this helps in strengthening accountability," says Binayak Das, program coordinator of the Water Integrity Network, an NGO in Germany.
So Sankarnarayan launched an app called Climatix to measure climate resilience by crowdsourcing.
And people supporting citizen data gathering say they have seen outside data lead to change.
"The measurements were used as evidence to advocate policy change," she says.
Sometimes, needed information goes beyond simple observations on water levels or color; it can require doing a quick lab test on the go.
The drinking water options in this part of India are limited.
But the local administration and police department of Nalgonda were responsive: The water authorities promised to monitor the filtration plant and close off contaminated wells.
"When data is collected in India, it is not only about water and sanitation but also demographics," says Das of Water Integrity Network.
Chhavi Sachdev is a freelance reporter in India.

UN chief tackles issue of global clean water shortage.
He told the Security Council that "strains on water access are already rising in all regions," noting that three-quarters of the 193 UN member states share rivers or lake basins with their neighbors.
"Water, peace and security are inextricably linked," Mr. Guterres said.
The secretary-general said the United Nations is ready to engage in preventive diplomacy to keep the competition for water from sparking conflicts.
"Our planet, the human family and life in all its myriad forms on Earth are in the throes of a water crisis that will only get worse over the coming decades," he said.
"If current patterns of consumption continue unabated, two-thirds of the world’s population will be facing water shortages as a daily reality by 2025," Mr. Morales added.
Right now, he said, more than 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2.5 billion don’t have basic sanitation.
Morales, who presided over the meeting, said the limited availability of fresh water underscores the importance of tackling the issue and ensuring that access to clean water is shared and doesn’t become "a pretext for domestic or international conflict."
He said the world currently is not on track to meet UN goals for 2030 calling for improved water security, access to drinking water, and sanitation, as well as stronger management of water resources shared by countries.
Follow Stories Like This Sign Up In one example of regional cooperation, Ethiopian Ambassador Tekeda Alemu said that while there are differences between the six countries that are upstream and downstream on the Nile River, those nations negotiated for 13 years to produce an agreement on using its waters.

UN chief tackles issue of global clean water shortage.
He told the Security Council that "strains on water access are already rising in all regions," noting that three-quarters of the 193 UN member states share rivers or lake basins with their neighbors.
"Water, peace and security are inextricably linked," Mr. Guterres said.
The secretary-general said the United Nations is ready to engage in preventive diplomacy to keep the competition for water from sparking conflicts.
"Our planet, the human family and life in all its myriad forms on Earth are in the throes of a water crisis that will only get worse over the coming decades," he said.
"If current patterns of consumption continue unabated, two-thirds of the world’s population will be facing water shortages as a daily reality by 2025," Mr. Morales added.
Right now, he said, more than 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2.5 billion don’t have basic sanitation.
Morales, who presided over the meeting, said the limited availability of fresh water underscores the importance of tackling the issue and ensuring that access to clean water is shared and doesn’t become "a pretext for domestic or international conflict."
He said the world currently is not on track to meet UN goals for 2030 calling for improved water security, access to drinking water, and sanitation, as well as stronger management of water resources shared by countries.
Follow Stories Like This Sign Up In one example of regional cooperation, Ethiopian Ambassador Tekeda Alemu said that while there are differences between the six countries that are upstream and downstream on the Nile River, those nations negotiated for 13 years to produce an agreement on using its waters.

US Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that by 2050 global demand for fresh water is projected to grow by more than 40 per cent and at least a quarter of the world’s population will live in countries with a “chronic or recurrent” lack of clean water. He told the Security Council that “strains on water access are already rising in all regions,” noting that three-quarters of the 193 UN member states share rivers or lake basins with their…

With rising population and limited fresh water resources, at least 25% of the world population will lack access to clean water by 2050. The global demand for fresh water is projected to grow by more than 40% and highly-populated countries like India, China and Bangladesh will face a “chronic or recurrent” lack of clean water. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council yesterday that “strains on water access are already rising in all regions”, noting that three-quarters of the 193 UN member…

With rising population and limited fresh water resources, at least 25% of the world population will lack access to clean water by 2050. The global demand for fresh water is projected to grow by more than 40% and highly-populated countries like India, China and Bangladesh will face a “chronic or recurrent” lack of clean water. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council yesterday that “strains on water access are already rising in all regions”, noting that three-quarters of the 193 UN member…

Dairy Creek Golf Course is low on water, but SLO County says let it go brown.
“It is hard for me to justify taking water for drinking and using it for pleasure when people have wells that go dry,” said Supervisor Lynn Compton, who voted alongside supervisors Bruce Gibson and Adam Hill against using potable water to supplement irrigation at the 20-year-old course in El Chorro Regional Park.
The golf course is operating with limited water and isn’t due additional deliveries until Dec. 1.
Parks and Recreation Director Nick Franco said for now he will continue to water all 18 holes, at a limited capacity, as he attempts to negotiate with the state to gain access to water that is currently promised to the California Men’s Colony, a state prison.
Existing facilities include a dog park, trails, a botanical garden, campground and ball fields, in addition to the golf course.
It includes potential added activities, such as a mountain bike skills course and disc golf area.
Faced with a decreasing water supply and steadily declining revenues, the board hired a consultant to develop a long-term plan for the park that would help pay off the bond debt for the golf course, which remains around $5 million.
Supervisors Debbie Arnold and John Peschong both voted to use potable water from either Cal Poly or Whale Rock at costs that ranged between $1,000 and $2,000 per acre-foot, arguing that the course will generate more revenue with an irrigated 18 holes.
If the parks director is able to negotiate additional water from the state from a nearby well, he will take the decision to the board to make a final decision about how much of the course will go brown this year.
Monica Vaughan: 805-781-7930, @MonicaLVaughan Declining business at Dairy Creek At Dairy Creek Golf Course’s high point, there were 62,000 rounds of golf played in one year.

The U.N. Says Water Shortages Will Affect a Quarter of the World’s Population By 2050.
He told the Security Council that "strains on water access are already rising in all regions," noting that three-quarters of the 193 U.N. member states share rivers or lake basins with their neighbors.
"Water, peace and security are inextricably linked," Guterres said.
The secretary-general said the United Nations is ready to engage in preventive diplomacy to keep the competition for water from sparking conflicts.
Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose country currently holds the council presidency, noted that since 1947, some 37 conflicts have taken place between countries related to water.
"Our planet, the human family and life in all its myriad forms on Earth are in the throes of a water crisis that will only get worse over the coming decades," he said.
Right now, he said, more than 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2.5 billion don’t have basic sanitation.
British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the world has already seen what can happen "when the waters run dry," pointing to drought in Somalia that is driving acute food shortages and threatening famine and a lack of clean water that is exacerbating the crisis sparked by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and sickening thousands.
He said the world currently is not on track to meet U.N. goals for 2030 calling for improved water security, access to drinking water and sanitation, as well as stronger management of water resources shared by countries.
"The cooperation between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan and the signing of the Declaration of Principles by the leaders of the three countries is also another manifestation of regional cooperation that needs to be enhanced further," he said.