Report: Integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the Inner Delta of the Niger (IDN) and periperal areas in Mali

Improving sustainable access to water and sanitation to the disadvantaged populations of the IDN and peripheral areas in Mali through participatory, innovative, appropriate methods, in a context of IWRM by local actors

This proposal is a part of the general program carried out in the Inner Delta of the Niger by PROTOS, that started in 2004.

The previous phases showed :
- an important lack for drinking water infrastructure with an important difference in coverage: an average of 60-70 %, but in some villages only 20%;
- only 5% of the population has access to improved sanitation
- traditional sanitary practices not very hygienic
- an important presence of stagnating water in de villages and high risks of pollution with waste water and human and animal excreta;
- no evacuation and treatment of waste water in rural or urban areas
- a high prevalence of waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and malaria;
- a high population density (30 inh./km2) compared to other regions having the same climate conditions and much higher than the national average (5 inh./km2)
- transhumant population not very often included in projects;
- strong degradation of the ecosystem in the Delta, linked to the variability of the rainfall, the reduction of the floods, the numerous social conflicts, the silting of the natural canals in the Delta;
- limited income et unequally distributed in the year (75 % of the population lives with less than 1 USD/year)
- low level of education, specially for women and transhumant people;
- low capacities with local authorities to plan , implement and management local development projects, e.g. drinking water projects.

PROTOS, in collaboration with the 6 municipalities and Fondation Ensemble (a French Foundation) has formulated a development program with the following objectives and results:

General results:
- to improve the drinking water and sanitation situation of the rural population;
- to contribute to an adequate management of water resources;
- to strengthen the capacities for planning and management of the local authorities and civil society.

Specific objective:
To improve the sustainable access to water and sanitation to the disadvantaged populations of the IDN and peripheral areas through participatory, innovative, appropriate methods, in a context of Integrated Water Resources Management by local actors

Expected results:
1) construction and rehabilitation of 10 drinking water points to for about 7,500 people
2) creation and training of 10 drinking water and sanitation committees for about 7,500 people
3) construction of 170 individual latrines for about 1.700 people
4) construction of 2 public latrines (places to be defined by the municipality: public markets or schools)
5) strengthening of 1 drinking water association (federation above the WUC’s) to federate the individual drinking water committees
6) strengthening of 6 municipalities so that they can play their role in the planning, implementing and management of the drinking water sector
7) developing and testing a integrated water management plan in one town
8) initiating a consultative platform between different water actors

The present proposal builds on the experiences and resultants of the previous phase, and concentrates on the one hand on a better access to drinking water and sanitation for the disadvantaged population, often forgotten by other programs, and the sustainability of the infrastructure, within in framework of Integrated Water Resources Management.
From 2006 to 2010 the following results have been obtained in the Delta:
- 164 drinking water points constructed;
- rehabilitation of 4 irrigation schemes;
- 38 public latrines constructed;
- 700 private latrines constructed;
- 1.000 cesspits constructed;
- 1 sewerage systems constructed;
- awareness raising campaign hygiene in villages and schools;
- awareness raising about Integrated Water Resources Management (14 municipalities);
- an association (federation) has been set up to support the local water user committees, and to facilitate maintenance works
- system for collecting of household waste installed in Mopti;
- 14 municipalities strengthened in different aspects of local development.

The municipality is the legal owner or the water systems but delegates the operation and maintenance to the drinking water committee on village level. On municipality level, a drinking water association (federation) is formed by the individual committees are member. This association gives support to the individual committees (organizational, technical and financial).

The drinking water committees collect the water fees, and deposit them in a saving account of the drinking water association. In case of a breakdown of the drinking water infrastructure, the drinking water association pays the repair cost. The committee hires a local technician for the reparation. These local technicians have been trained by PROTOS in previous projects.

The water association (federation) has a central store with spare parts. Local technicians purchase the necessary spare parts at this shop.

The municipality is responsible for the follow up of the drinking water committees, and can, in case of bad operation, take the necessary measures (stop the contract and organize elections for a new water users committee)