AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND Language: French

Original : French

MAURITANIA

RURAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECT IN THE SOUTH

APPRAISAL REPORT

WATER AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT OWAS

June 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET, CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, LIST OF TABLES, LIST OF ANNEXES, LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, BASIC DATA, PROJECT LOGICAL FRAMEWORK, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i to x 1. ORIGIN AND HISTORY 1

2 THE WATER AND SANITATION SECTOR 1 2.1 Characteristics of Sector 1 2.2 Organization of Sector 3 2.3 Sector Development Policy and Strategy 4 2.4 Opportunities and Constraints 6 2.5 National DWSS Programme (PNAEPA- 2015) 8 2.6 Financing of the Sector 8 2.7 Lessons Learnt From Donor Intervention 10 3 THE RURAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SUB-SECTOR 11 3.1 Phasing and Consistency of Rural Component of PNAEPA-2015 11 3.2 Bank Group Strategy 11 4 THE RURAL DWSS PROJECT IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE 12 4.1 Design and Rationale 12 4.2 Project Objectives 14 4.3 Intervention Areas and Target Communities of Project 14 4.4 Strategic Context 16 4.5 Project Description 17 4.6 Impacts on Cross-cutting Issues 18 4.7 Project Costs 20 4.8 Sources of Finance and Expenditure Schedule 22 4.9 Performance Indicators 24 5. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 25 5.1 Executing Agency and Coordination of Interventions 25

5.2 Steering Committee 27 5.3 Eligibility Criteria of Project Sites 27 5.4 Implementation and Supervision Schedules 28 5.5 Procurement Arrangements 28 5.6 Disbursement Arrangements 32 5.7 Financial and Audit Reports 32 5.8 Partnerships 32 5.9 Project Sustainability and Risks 33

6 ANALYSIS OF PROJECT IMPACTS 36 6.1 Analysis of Economic and Financial Impact 36 6.2 Sensitivity Tests 37 6.3 Analysis of Social and Health Impact and Its Financial Incidence on Communities 38 6.4 Analysis Impact on Poverty 40 6.5 Analysis of Impact on Women 40 6.6 Analysis of Environmental Impacts 42 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 42 7.1 Conclusion 42 7.2 Recommendations and Conditions 43 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 4.7 (a) : Summary of Estimated Project Cost by Component 21 Table 4.7 (b) : Summary of Estimated Project Cost by Expenditure Category 22 Table 4.8 (a) : Sources of Finance 23 Table 4.8 (b) : Sources of Finance by Component 23 Table 4.8 (c) : Expenditure Schedule 24 Table 5.1: Procurement of Goods and Services 29 LIST OF ANNEXES No. of Pages Annex 1 : Project Map 1 Annex 2 : List of Ongoing Bank Group Operations in Mauritania 1 Annex 3 : Organization Chart of Project 1 Annex 4 : Project Implementation Schedule 1 Annex 5 : Detailed Costs of Project Components 4 Annex 6 : Intentions of Water Sector Donors for PNAEPA 2 Annex 7 : Summary of Environmental and Social Management Plan 4 Annex 8 : Financial Analysis of a Water Users’ Association (WUA) 2 Annex 9 : Box – Concession / Managemenr of Rural DWS Facilities (Private Operators) 1

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AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND

BP 323 – 1002 Tunis Belvédère Tel : 71 333 511

PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET

Date : June 2006 The information given hereunder is intended to provide some guidance to prospective suppliers, contractors, consultants and all persons interested in the procurement of goods and services for projects approved by the Boards of Directors of the Bank Group. More detailed information and guidance should be obtained from the Executing Agency of the Borrower. 1. COUNTRY : Mauritania 2. NAME : Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project in the Southern

Area. 3. LOCATION : Three (3) regions of the country (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and

Gorgol). 4. BORROWER : Government of Mauritania 5. EXECUTING AGENCY : MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES

Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser - BP 4913 Nouakchott - MAURITANIA

FAX: (222) 524 02 65 TEL: (222) 524 02 67

6. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

6.1 The main outputs of the project are: (i) 3900 new household latrines and washbasins fitted with washstands; (ii) 102 new multi-compartment latrines at village public amenities (markets, schools, health centres and public places) ; (iii) 150 masons and 60 school teachers trained; (iv) 300 women intermediaries put in place to cater for hygiene in the villages; (v) 35 new boreholes and 15 new wells constructed; (vi) 46 new DWS systems constructed, including water towers to serve an equal number of villages ; (vii) 6 water treatment units and associated networks established; (viii) 40 thermal pumping sets (motors and pumps) and 12 solar pumping systems supplied and fitted; (ix) 55 water users associations (WUAs), put in place, organized and trained in the management and maintenance of water points; (x) 55 WUA managers and operators trained; and (xi) training, out-reach and awareness campaigns carried out in the three regions (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol) of the project. These operations will help fulfil the drinking water needs of nearly 41,000 persons and 93 000 individuals in household and/or community sanitation in the three regions targeted by the project.

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7. PROJECT COST : UA 11.55 million

Foreign Exchange : UA 6.72 million Local Currency : UA 4.83 million 8. BANK GROUP FINANCING : UA 9.70 million ADF Loan : UA 9.70 million 9. OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCE : UA 1.85 million

Beneficiary Communities : UA 0.226 million Government : UA 1.624 million

10. PROJECT APPROVAL DATE : September 2006

11. ESTIMATED START-UP DATE PROJECT DURATION : January 2007; 36 months 12 PROCUREMENT OF GOODS, WORKS AND SERVICES : Procurement of goods, works and services financed by

the ADF will be in accordance with the Bank’s rules of procedure for the procurement of goods and works or, where applicable, with the Bank’s rules of procedure for the use of consultants based on appropriate standard bidding documents of the Bank. Contracts for individual sanitation works will be based on the Bank’s procedures for community contracts.

13 CONSULTANCY SERVICES REQUIRED : For the national programme coordination unit,

supervision and control of water and sanitation works, the IEC campaigns on water and sanitation and the auditing of accounts.

14 ENVIRONMENTAL CATEGORY : II

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CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (June 2006)

UA 1 = MRO 400.948

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES m = metre m² = square metre lm = linear metre m3 = cube metre km = kilometre Mm3 = Millions of cube metre km² = square kilometre m3/h = metre cube per hour l/s = litre per second l/d/inh = litre per day per inh.

FISCAL YEAR

1st January – 31 December

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ABEDA : Arab Bank for the Economic Development of Africa ADF : African Development Fund AFD : French Development Agency AMEXTIPE : Mauritanian Agency for Public Works and Employment Generation ANEPA : National Drinking Water Supply Agency APAUS : Agency for the Promotion of Universal Access to Services CNRE : National Centre for Water Resources CV : Curriculum Vitae DA : Directorate of Sanitation DAEP : Directorate of Water Supply DE : Directorate of Environment EA : Executing Agency EIB : European Investment Bank EIG : Economic Interest Group ESMP : Environmental and Social Management Plan EU : European Union GVT : Government HP : Hand Pump ICB : International competitive Bidding IEC : Information, Education and Communication IsDB : Islamic Development Bank IWRM : Integrated Water Resource Management KFAED : Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development KFW : Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufban MAED : Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development MDG : Millennium Development Goals MDRE : Ministry of Rural Development and Environment MFT : Manual Flush Toilet MH : Ministry of Water Resources MP : Motorized Pump NCB : National Competitive Bidding NGO : Non-Governmental Organization NPV : Net Present Value PARSEAE : Water, Sanitation and Energy Sectors Support Project PCU : Programme Coordination Unit PNAEPA : National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme SFD : Saudi Fund for Development SNDE : National Water Company

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SP : Standpipe UA : Unit of Account VIP(Latrine) : Ventilated Improved Pit Latrine WB : World Bank WS : Water Supply WSS : Water Supply and Sanitation WUA : Water Users’ Association

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MAURITANIA LOGICAL FRAMEWORK–NATIONAL RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROGRAMME – 2015

HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES EXPECTED OUTCOMES IMPACT

(Beneficiaries)

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OBJECTIVE INDICATORS AND

SCHEDULE ASSUMPTIONS/

RISKS SECTOR GOAL To provide sustainable drinking water supply and sanitation in rural areas aimed at improving the living conditions and the health of the people.

LONG TERM OUTCOMES By 2015 1) Achieving MDGs for water : rate of access raised to 74% ; 2) Achieving MDGs for sanitation : rate of coverage increased to 60% ; 3) Child mortality reduced to 82 per thousand; 4) Poverty index reduced to 25%.

Rural communities of Mauritania (1.84 million inhabitants.)

1) Achieving MDGs (for water and sanitation) for Mauritania by 2015 ; 2) Rural poverty index; 3) Under-5 mortality rate. Sources : Statistics and reports : DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE., APAUS and National Statistics Board – ONS

By 2015 1) Increase in rate of access to safe water (+ 51%) ; 2) Increase in rate of sanitation coverage (+ 200%) ; 3) Reduction of infant mortality (- 67%); 4) Reduction of incidence of poverty (- 46%).

(Sector goal to overall goal) :

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE - To improve drinking water supply in rural communities; - To provide adequate sanitation to rural communities; - To contribute to improving the performance of rural drinking water supply and sanitation.

MEDIUM TERM OUTCOMES By 2010 1) Rate of access to safe water in rural areas is 62 %; 2) Coverage rate in sanitation in rural areas is 40%.

Rural communities of Mauritania (1.69 million inhabitants.)

1) Rate of access to safe water; 2) Rate of access to adequate sanitation; 3) Reduction of rate of breakdowns of water structures; 4) Reduction of intervention time on broken down structures to less than 2 days; 5) Increase in the average consumption of water per inhabitant and per day Sources : Statistics and activity reports of DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE. and APAUS

By 2010 1) Increase in rate of access to safe water in rural areas (+ 27%); 2) Increase in rate of coverage in sanitation (+ 100%); 3) Reduction in rate of breakdowns of pumps to below the current rate of 3 %; 4) Reduction of intervention time for breakdowns (3 days max.); 5) Increase in daily per capita consumption and (target of 20 litres).

-Stable macroeconomic framework; - Reforms related to the decentralization policy; - Institutional framework of the sector strengthened and applied; - management of water resources by private concessionaries effectively implemented.

ACTIVITIES / INPUTS - A modern water point is provided to 150 rural dwellers and all the rural localities have at least one modern water point. - An efficient system of sanitation is set up in all the rural localities (household latrines and/or semi-compartmentalized latrines) - Water management and sanitation structures exist in all the localities and are viable - Communities sensitized and involved in the design and management of DWSS structures

Financial Resources Total cost of PNAEPA-2015 in rural areas: UA 125.00 million Donors: UA 106.25 million Government and beneficiaries: UA 18.75 million Coordination Unit, engineering consultants, Entreprises, NGOs and associations in the sector

SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES 1) Development of DWS structures of the project; 2) Installation of adequate household and public latrines; 3) Awareness campaign carried among communities; 4) Training of actors carried out.

Rural population to be served by 2015 (660,000 persons at national level) Contractors, consulting firms, NGOs, etc. Public village infrastructure Structures concerned (DAEP, DA, CNRE, ANEPA and APAUS)

1) Number of DWS installations made; 2) Number of sanitation installations made; 3) Awareness campaigns carried out; 4) Number of staff trained by category and quantity of equipment procured. Sources : Statistics and report activities of DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE and APAUS

Short Term (project outcomes) 1) Safe water: localities served by the project in relation to targets set for 2015 (+6%) ; 2) Sanitation: i) familial – households equipped with latrines by the project in relation to targets set for 2015 (+3%) ; ii) public – public places equipped in relation to objectives identified by 2015 (+4,5%) ; 3) Other indicators : 150 masons and 60 teachers trained; 300 women intermediaries put in place.

- Contributions from communities are mobilized on time; - External financing is put in place within time required. .

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NAME : Mauritania – PNAEPA 2015 ; Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project in the South DATE ESTABLISHED : June 2006 COMPLETION DATE : 31 December 2009 DESIGN TEAM : MBAYE/ CARIOU/ JOOTTUN

HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES

EXPECTED OUTCOMES IMPACT (Beneficiaries)

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

OBJECTIVE INDICATORS AND SCHEDULE

ASSUMPTIONS/ RISKS

SECTOR GOAL To provide sustainable water supply and sanitation in rural areas aimed at improving the living conditions and the health of the people.

LONG TERM OUTPUTS By 2015 1) Achieving MDGs for water: rate of access raised to 74% ; 2) Achieving MDGs for sanitation: rate of coverage increased to 60%; 3) Child motality reduced to 82 per thousand; 4) Poverty index reduced to 25%.

Rural communities of Mauritania (1.84 million inhabitants)

1) Achieving MDGs (for water and sanitation) for Mauritania by 2015 ; 2) Rural poverty index ; 3) Under-5 mortality rate. Sources : Statistics and reports : DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE., APAUS and National Statistics Board – ONS

By 2015 1) Increased rate of access to safe water (+ 51%) ; 2) Increase in the rate of coverage of sanitation (+ 200%) ; 3) Reduction in infant mortality rate (- 33%); 4) Reduction in incidence of poverty (- 46%).

(Sectoral goal to overall objective) :

PROJECT OBJECTIVES - Improve drinking water supply in 74 rural localities in 3 regions (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol) ; - Improve household sanitation in 74 rural localities and community sanitation services in 77 rural commununities in the 3 regions.

MEDIUM TERM OUTCOMES By 2010 1) Drinking Water Supply rate of communities targeted by the project is 45%, 35% and 45% respectively in the Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol regions; 2) Sanitation rate is 34%, 33% and 35% respectively at Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol; 3) Average prevalence rate of water-borne diseases and faecal peril reduced to 7% in the 3 regions.

Rural communities of the three regions (699,000 persons)

1) Rate of access to safe water; 2) Rate of access to adequate sanitation; 3) Average rate of prevalence of water-borne diseases and faecal peril in the 3 regions; 4) Average per capita consumption of water per day in the 3 regions. Sources: DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE., APAUS and National Statistics Board – ONS and Ministry of Health

By 2009 1) Increase in rate of access to safe water in rural areas (+18%, +16%, +12% respectively in the regions of Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol) ; 2) Increase in rate of sanitation coverage (+72%, +65%, +74% respectively in the regions of Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol); 3) Reduced rate of prevalence of water-borne diseases and faecal peril in the 3 regions (-47%); 4) Increase in per capita water consumption per day in the 3 regions (+150%).

-Stable macroeconomic environment; - Reforms related to decentralization pursued; - Institutional framework of sector strengthened and applied;

- Management of water structures by private operators is effective.

ACTIVITIES / INPUTS - DWS infrastructure built or rehabilitated in 74 rural localities in the 3 regions of the project; - Household and public sanitation facilities constructed in 74 localities and 77 rural communities in 3 regions. - Putting in place of the Programme Coordination Unit; - Recruitment of Consultants and Auditors for the supervision of works, outreach/awareness campaigns (IEC campaigns) and auditing; - Recruitment of contractors for works implementation.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES ADF loan: UA 9 700 000 Beneficiaries: UA 226 000 Government : UA 1 624 000 TOTAL : UA 11 550 000

SHORT TERM OUTCOMES 1) Construction of 20 boreholes and 15 new wells; 2) Construction of 26 new DWS systems; 3) Supply and installation of 25 thermal pumping sets (motors and pumps) and 10 solar pumping systems; 4) construction of 6 water treatment units; 5) Putting in place and training of 55 WUA and managers; 6) 1950 private and household sanitation structures; 7) 51 community latrines constructed; 8) 100 stone craftsmen and 60 school teachers trained; 300 women hygiene intermediaries put in place.

Rural communities of three regions (658,000 persons) Contractors, consulting firms, NGOs, etc. Public village infrastructure Structures concerned (DAEP, DA, CNRE, ANEPA and APAUS)

1) Number of DWS structures and water points provided; 2) Number of household and community sanitation facilities provided; 3) Number of awareness campaigns conducted for the beneficiary communities of the structures; 4) Number of persons trained in intervention structures and village associations that manage structures. Sources: Statistics and activity reports of DAEP, DA, ANEPA, CNRE. and APAUS

Short- Term 1) Rate of construction of boreholes (52%) and wells (68%); 2) Rate of construction of new DWS systems (50%); 3) Rate of supply and installation of thermal pumping sets (63%) and solar pumping systems (84%); 4) Rate of construction of water treatment units (100%); 5) Rate of establishment and training of WUAs and WUA managers (100%); 6) Rate of construction of household sanitation facilities (50%); 7) Rate of construction of household sanitation facilities (50%); 8) 150 masons and 60 school teachers trained; 300 women intermediaries for hygiene put in place.

-Contributions of communities mobilized on time

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In Mauritania, the average level of rural drinking water supply is estimated at 49%. The average rate of access to sanitation (collection, evacuation of wastewater and solid and other domestic solid wastes) is estimated at 20%. This situation, whereby the vast majority of the country’s rural localities do not as yet have suitable systems of collection and evacuation of wastewater, excreta and solid wastes cannot be without consequences on the health of the communities concerned. 1.2 In response to this concern, the Government formulated a national water supply and sanitation programme for the year 2015 (PNAEPA-2015). The present project, intended for the rural areas of the southern part of the country constitutes a major part of this national programme and addresses the concern of the Government of Mauritania to provide an equitable development of the various regions of the country and remedy the inadequacies noted, in accordance with the policy of decentralization and regional balance. To this end, it will draw on: (i) the new PNAEPA-2015 sector policy letter adopted by the Government and donors in June 2006; and (ii) the Government’s rural sanitation strategy outlined in the PNAEPA-2015. This strategy which has resulted in the setting up of structures at the national level responsible for defining the strategic guidelines, proposes general solutions to the problems of sanitation of wastewater, solid wastes and excreta in the rural areas in question. 1.3 The actions envisaged in this report closely relate to the ongoing consultation with the country’s major donors in the water sector. This consultation, which is much desired by the Government and was initiated in the appraisal of this project, is expected to be pursued and strengthened. Thus, it will constitute a significant guarantee of the full realization and success of actions envisaged under the PNAEPA-2015. 2 PURPOSE OF THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION 2.1 The ADF loan, amounting to UA 9.70 million will cover about 84% of the total cost of the project. It will be used to finance 100 % of the foreign exchange costs and 62% of the local currency costs. 3 OBJECTIVES 3.1 The sector goal of the project is to improve the socio-economic and health conditions of the rural communities. Specifically, it aims at: (i) improving water supply and household sanitation in 74 localities of the three regions targeted (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol), which are currently showing a deficit; and (ii) improving community sanitation in the rural communities of these three regions. The objectives target a total rural population of 658,000 persons in the three regions.

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3.2 Overall, the construction of DWS structures under this project will contribute to raising the average rate of access to safe water of the targeted rural communities from 36% to 41% and thereby meet nearly 17% of the millennium development goals (MDGs) for water in these regions. In the area of sanitation, since the average access rate in the three regions is currently estimated at 20%, the implementation of the project will contribute to increasing the average access rate to over 35% of the MDG target for sanitation. 4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT OUPUTS 4.1 The main outputs of the project are: (i) 3900 new household latrines and washbasins fitted with washstands; (ii) 102 new multi-compartment latrines constructed at village public amenities (markets, schools, health centres and public places) ; (iii) 150 masons and 60 school teachers trained; (iv) 300 women intermediaries put in place to cater for hygiene in the villages; (v) 35 new boreholes and 15 new wells constructed; (vi) 46 new DWS systems constructed, including water towers to serve the same number of villages ; (vii) 6 water treatment units and associated networks established; (viii) 40 thermal pumping sets (motors and pumps) and 12 solar pumping systems supplied and fitted; (ix) 55 water users associations (WUAs), put in place, organized and trained in the management and maintenance of water points; (x) 55 WUA managers and operators trained; and (xi) training, out-reach and awareness campaigns carried out in the three regions (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol) of the project. These operations will help directly fulfil the potable water needs of nearly 41,000 persons and 93 000 individuals in household and/or community sanitation in the three regions targeted by the project.

5 COSTS 5.1 The estimated cost of the project net-of-taxes is UA 11.55 million comprising UA 6.72 million in foreign exchange (58%) and UA 4.83 million in local currency (42%). It includes a provision for physical contingencies (10% for works; 5% for services) and an annual price escalation (2% for foreign exchange; 5% for local currency). 6 SOURCES OF FINANCE 6.1 The project will be jointly financed by the ADF, the Government of Mauritania and the beneficiary communities. The total contribution of the ADF amounts to UA 9.70 million, in the form of a loan (equivalent to 84% of the total project cost), that of the Government at UA 1.624 million (14%) and that of the beneficiary communities at UA 0.226 million (2%).

7 IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES

7.1 The executing agency of the project will be the Ministry of Water Resources (MH). The technical implementation of the project will be the responsibility of the directorates of this ministry namely the Directorate for Water Supply (DAEP) for the water component and the Directorate for Sanitation (DA) for the sanitation component. The MH will create within its ranks and under its supervision a Coordination Unit of PNAEPA-2015 (PCU) that will be jointly in charge of the management and general coordination of the implementation of the present project and all the other activities implemented by the other development partners under the national programme. This unified coordination unit desired by the Government and shared by the entire donor community of the sector, notably those present at the donor roundtable of 15 June 2006 in Nouakchott, will help unify and harmonize the interventions of

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all the actors of the sector within the PNAEPA-2015 and thereby avert any risk of overlaps. Engineering consulting firms will be commissioned for the supervision and control of works. The information, education and communication (IEC) campaign among the beneficiary communities will be entrusted to specialized NGOs or consulting firms. All these activities will be carried out under the direct supervision of national technical directorates under the coordination of the PCU.

8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 8.1 The Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation project forms part of the Government’s strategies and those of the Bank aimed, inter alia, at reducing poverty and strengthening social amenities in the rural areas. A participatory and concerted approach involving the sector donors prevailed throughout the appraisal of the project. A consultative framework was put in place by the country’s authorities from the initial phases for the formulation of PNAEPA-2015, in November 2005, up to its adoption, in May 2006, and the organization by the Government of a donors’ roundtable on 15 June 2006 (see Annex 6). This participatory approach augurs well for a rapid and concerted achievement of the objectives of the said programme which has since received the approval of all the actors of the water and sanitation sector in the country. 8.2 The water supply structures provided will contribute to meeting the drinking water supply needs of rural communities of the three regions of the country (about 658,000 persons). The project will help improve the health conditions of the inhabitants, reduce spending on health, promote income-generating activities related to water and develop the private sector in the intervention areas targeted. 8.3 It is recommended that a loan not exceeding UA 9.70 million be granted from ADF resources to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for the implementation of the project, subject to the fufilment of conditions to be specified in the loan agreement.

1. ORIGIN AND HISTORY 1.1 In Mauritania, average rural drinking water supply is currently estimated at 49%. The average rate of access to sanitation (collection, evacuation of wastewater and domestic solid waste) is estimated at 20%. To achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in drinking water supply (74% access by 2015) and sanitation (60%), the Government of Mauritania needed to have a national programme based on an updated situation analysis that set the supply targets to be attained, as well as a sectoral strategy and an investment plan to define a road map for attaining such targets. This was all the more crucial as there was no planning and programming reference framework in the rural sector. Indeed, for several years water supply had been developed through a number of “projects” that were generally implemented independently of each other. Admittedly, significant results were obtained in the area of infrastructure, but there was no indicator by which the rate of access to water could be ascertained since statistics published in previous years were marred by inconsistencies. 1.2 The Mauritanian Government took the decision to formulate, with financial assistance from the French Cooperation Agency, the National Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Programme - 2015 (PNAEPA-2015). The design of the programme took into account strategic orientations defined in the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP 2006-2010). Indeed, the PRSP considers as an absolute priority access to sufficient and safe water and sanitation services at affordable prices for all and in a sustainable manner. After participating in all the design stages of PNAEPA-2015, the development partners of the water and sanitation sector were invited by the Government to attend a round table conference on the Programme held in Nouakchott on 15 June 2006. Thus, it was on the occasion of this round table that the new strategic orientations defined in the PNAEPA-2015 by the Government to achieve the MDGs for rural and urban water and sanitation received a clear and resolute support from all the partners present. 1.3 The national programme is in line with the Bank’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) aimed, inter alia, at accelerating access by rural African communities to adequate water and sanitation systems. The RWSSI constitutes one of the major contributions of the Bank to achieving the MDGs in the water and sanitation sector and the objectives of the African Water Vision through the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework. 1.4 The foregoing indicates that all the processes that led to the preparation of this report were carried out in conjunction with the Government and the other development partners of the sector. Indeed, the latter were not only informed and consulted during the Nouakchott round table of 15 June 2006, but also during the Bank’s appraisal mission in the country. 2 THE WATER AND SANITATION SECTOR 2.1 Characteristics of Sector 2.1.1 Water Resources. The surface water resources of Mauritania essentially comprise the Senegal river, its tributaries and various water reservoirs (dams, sills and dykes). The country also abounds in underwater reserves albeit characterized by wide disparities depending on the geographic location. This is particularly the case in the south-west, south

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and south-east where the major continuous aquifers on the sedimentary formation of Trarza and Taoudeni are found as well as the aquifers of the Senegal River Valley. However, the context is less favourable in the rest of the country (discontinuous underground water, or uncertain resources). Ground water reserves are estimated at nearly 50 billion m3. 2.1.2 Access to Safe Water. In urban areas, access to safe water is estimated at 30%. This relatively low rate also masks disparities in access between the country’s urban centres. Thus, whereas only 24% of households in the Nouakchott region have access to water, essentially private connections, 46% of the households of other urban centres have access. This situation accounts for the size of investments made in the urban areas (MRO 10 billion, equivalent to US$ 40 million) over the 2001-2004 period and the financing of the Nouakchott drinking water supply project to ensure the capital’s long-term water supply (MRO 59 billion, US$ 220 million equivalent). At the same time, other investments were made in several secondary towns (Néma, Boghé, Timbédra, Tidjikja and Kiffa) raising the coverage of the National Water Company (SNDE) from 9 towns in 2001 to 17 in 2005. Furthermore, the 2003-2004 emergency urban plan helped increase the Nouakchott production from 40,000 m3/day to 50,000 m3/day with the drilling of new boreholes in Idini. In 2007, the production will be raised to 60,000 m3/day through the Water Component of the Urban Development Programme (PDU). In Nouadhibou (the 2nd city of the country), the production enhancement programme completed in 2005 will help meet the needs of the city up to 2020. 2.1.3 In the rural areas, the rate of access is estimated at 49%, a figure which is close to the African average. MRO 3.5 billion (US $13.7 million) was invested in the rural water sector over the 2002-2004 period. Under the 10-year plan for rural communities of over 500 inhabitants, 150 DWSS networks were provided during the 2001-2005 period, contributing to increasing the service rate significantly, with about 32,000 private connections made over the period. Twice the number of projected modern wells intended to serve villages of less than 500 inhabitants were provided over the 2001-2004 period (40 instead of 20 per year). Also, 200 boreholes were equipped with handpumps for these villages. 2.1.4 Access to Sanitation. In urban areas, household access rate to sanitation averages 55%, of which only 3% is to community sanitation in Nouakchott. It is estimated that in the rural areas only 20% of rural households have excreta evacuation systems meeting the MDG definitions, whereas 33% of rural households do not have any evacuation system. Moreover, the use of household wastewater evacuation systems is virtually non-existent. 2.1.5 Payment for Drinking Water Services. In urban areas, the rates applied to households with private connection entail three domestic rates, one industrial rate and a standpipe rate: (i) a social consumption bracket below 10 m3/month that benefits from a subsidized rate of MRO 93.5/m3 (the subsidy covers about 60% of the average price of water, which is MRO 232/m3; (ii) an average domestic bracket of between 10 and 20 m3/month that is charged MRO 185/m3 (that is a 20% subsidy); (iii) a higher domestic bracket for over 20 m3/month consumption at MRO 232/m3; (iv) a single industrial bracket of MRO 194/m3; and (v) a standpipe rate of MRO 86/m3. 2.1.6 In the rural areas, the operating cost of drinking water supply is shared between the State (costs relating to the renewal of boreholes, reservoirs or water towers and laying of mains) and the users (costs of fuel and lubricants, staff, maintenance, servicing and repair of equipment, renewal of the pumping system, service pipes and distribution points). The vast majority of motorized DWS stations and networks (365 out of an estimated pool of 390 solar

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and thermal DWS) is managed by private managers called “concessionaires”. The National Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (ANEPA), acting on behalf of the Government signs management contracts (or “agreements”) of a three-year duration with these private operators who sell water by the volume. The water rate paid by users varies from locality to locality, but falls within a relatively narrow range. In 80% of the localities, the rate varies between MRO 120 and 160/m3, for agreements signed between 2002 and 2004. For agreements signed since 2005, water rates have been adjusted upwards steadily to reflect the rising cost of inputs, notably fuel. To carry out maintenance and guarantee the renewal of public infrastructure it has provided, the ANEPA charges the operators with which it has signed a contract a fee. The fee is based on the volumes produced, as measured by a production meter1 and calculated at the signing of the agreement. This method of private management carried out in the rural areas has helped achieve the following results: (i) the majority of the “private concessionaries” have helped intensify the development of DWS networks (the average extension representing 150% of the initial length of these networks), without using public funds; and (ii) the concessionaries have also promoted the establishment of over 32,000 private connections (the coverage rate exceeding 100 connections per thousand inhabitants in 30% of the localities concerned). 2.1.7 Payment for Sanitation Services. In the urban areas, only 3% of the sanitation services are provided through the sewerage system (only in Nouakchott). In view of the low level of this type of service and the lack of maintenance of the existing network, connections to the latter are not subject to the payment of a user fee. In the rural areas, there is no such user fee as there is no sewerage system. 2.2 Organization of Sector 2.2.1 The Water and Sanitation Sector (in both rural and urban areas) depends exclusively on the Ministry of Water Resources (MH). The latter is responsible for the design, planning and supervision of sector activities. In particular, it is responsible for: i) the protection and management of water resources, ii) the establishment and operation of water structures, iii) formulation of draft legislative and regulatory instruments, and iv) enforcement of laws and regulations on the water sector. The Ministry of Water Resources carries out this supervisory role on the sector on behalf of the Government through the Directorate of Water Supply (DAEP) for aspects related to water and the Directorate of Sanitation (DA) for those pertaining to sanitation. A reform that was put in place in 2001 enabled the services of the Ministry to focus on these tasks and put in place structures responsible for the operation and regulation of the sector. 2.2.2 Operational tasks comprising the production, conveyance, treatment, distribution and sale of water are cheifly entrusted to two entities, namely: the National Water Company (SNDE) and the National Water and Sanitation Agency (ANEPA). The SNDE is a public commercial company whose incomes are mainly derived from the sale of water to consumers in the urban areas. It is also responsible for urban sanitation and manages the Nouakchott wastewater network. The ANEPA is an association that is recognized to be of public interest. It caters for the production of water and investments in semi-urban and rural areas and sublets the distribution and sale to private managers. It is also the operator delegated by the Government to manage and promote the sanitation subsector in semi-urban and rural areas.

1 The fee is not based on volumes sold, since the ANEPA cannot be held responsible for losses in the network which mainly depend on the effectiveness of the operator’s work.

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The SNDE and ANEPA enjoy full management autonomy. Hydrogeological research and the monitoring of the exploitation of the water resources have also been entrusted to the National Water Resources Centre (CNRE). The latter is attached to the MH and is financed by fees paid by the SNDE and the ANEPA from levies on groundwater resources. 2.2.3 Other national actors also operate in the sector: (i) the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development (MAED) that has responsibility for the implementation of water and sanitation programmes and projects financed by the Government, seeks funding and manages the debt service. Furthermore, this Ministry, through the Mauritanian Agency for Public Works and Employment Generation (AMEXTIPE), also implements water programmes; (ii) the Multisectoral Regulatory Authority (ARM) that is responsible for regulating the sector. In addition to ensuring compliance with regulatory instruments and the effective development of the sector, its role includes the creation of a legal context that promotes the emergence of private operators in the water, electricity and telecommunications sectors. It has devolved to the Agency for the Promotion of Universal Access to Regulated Services (APAUS) the regulation of the rural and semi-urban water supply sector; (iii) the communes also constitute privileged actors of the sector by commissioning the construction of water supply facilities based on shareholders’ equity or through the decentralized cooperation unit. They are also responsible for sanitation as well as sanitation-related environmental issues; and (iv) the Commission on Humans Rights, the Fight against Poverty and Integration (CDHLPI) that defends access by the vulnerable sections of the population to potable water. It caters for the training and recruitment of unemployed school-leavers for the management of standpipes in the peripheral neighbourhoods of Nouakchott. 2.2.4 The institutional divisions that were successfully established through the 2001 reform closely follow the rules of good governance, and are in line with the policy of the Government to withdraw from operational tasks and promote the private sector. The performance of some actors in this regard has already been highly satisfactory. Thus, in June 2006, the ANEPA signed 360 private management contracts out of the 390 in the country for rural DWS networks. The other actors such as the SNDE, ARM or APAUS fulfil their mission with greater effectiveness and synergy than the structures existing prior to the reform. 2.3 Sector Development Policy and Strategy 2.3.1 In 1998, the Mauritanian Government adopted a “Water and Energy Sector Development Policy Declaration – DPD/EE”, as the main framework for the development of these sectors. This statement aimed notably at improving the performance of the water and energy sectors and the rationalization of water and energy resources through the following reforms: (i) – focusing of the role of the Government on the key and structuring functions of formulation of policies and monitoring of their implementation; (ii) – Government’s disengagement from operational functions; (iii) – creation of conditions to attract private sector initiatives to industrial development and provide public infrastructure and services; and (iv) – increased social investment by the Government. 2.3.2 More specifically, in order to ensure the sustainable development of the water sector, the Government’s policy as outlined in the DPD/EE (Policy Declaration for the Development of Water and Energy) of 1998 set the following objectives: (i) constant improvement of access by all to safe water both qualitatively and quantitatively with special focus on the most disadvantaged groups of the population; and (ii) building the capacities of

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the sector which contributes to the general fight against poverty and improvement of health conditions and public hygiene. Specific measures needed to achieve these objectives were embarked upon and several studies were included in the sectoral plan of actions of the authorities2. 2.3.3 In 2000, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania also adopted the Millennium Declaration and undertook to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without regular access to safe water and sanitation. In 2001, the first Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, covering the 2001-2005 period, served as a reference framework for the strategic orientations of the various sectors, including water. Introduced by the PRSP, the multisectoral strategy for access to basic services was also adopted in 2001 with the overall objective of implementing mechanisms for the improved effectiveness of the Government’s contribution to investments and operation in areas identified by the Agency for the Promotion of Universal Access to Services (APAUS). 2.3.4 A second PRSP, covering the 2006-2010 period, was formulated based on past lessons and taking into consideration all aspects related to the water and sanitation sector. The sector goal as defined in the 2006-2010 PRSP is to improve access to safe, affordable and sustainable water and sanitation for all. Its implementation is geared toward the following five objectives: (i) increase the drinking water supply rate from 49% in 2005 to 74% in 2015; (ii) know and safeguard water resources through the formulation of a national master plan for the development and integrated management of resources (IWRM) aimed at sustaining the increase in water supply, notably in rural areas up to 2015; (iii) improve sanitation conditions, with a view to raising the access rate from 20% in 2005 to 60% in 2015; (iv) promote public-private partnership through the formulation of precise terms of reference and including performances to be achieved (private connections, extensions) for private operators, a revision of the agreement between the Government and ANEPA in accordance with the Water Code and implementing decrees and the execution of training activities to strengthen the professionalization of the private sector. To this end, the private management of rural DWS structures and networks currently applied in the country is at the centre of the development strategy of the rural DWS sub-sector (cf. Box in Annex 9); and lastly (v) build the capacities of actors in the sector by providing resources enabling the central directorates of the Ministry of Water Resources and the communes to fulfill their role of project owners, strengthening deconcentrated services in terms of qualified manpower and the development of their advisory support roles in the communes, and lastly the building of capacities for the promotion and construction of autonomous sanitation structures. 2.3.5 Furthermore, to improve the governance of the sector, a consultation among the various actors involved in the water and sanitation sector was initiated in 2005 to ensure better sectoral visibility and strengthen the coordination of the various stakeholders. This consultation gave rise to a new Sector Policy Declaration (DPS) adopted in the Council of Ministers in May 2006 aimed at revising and updating the challenges and objective contained in the DPD/EE of 1998. The strategic orientations of DPS form part of the priorities of the 2006-2010 PRSP and aim at achieving the MDGs for the drinking water and sanitation sector by 2015. Two investment plans were defined for the purpose, namely: the rural and semi- 2 The studies included in the action plan of the DPD/EE of 1998 cover a study of the long-term management of surface and ground water; a study on the assessment of the consolidated water resources based on the types of network, by pumping system, consumption levels, etc.; a study on the revision of the regulatory framework; and a study on possible institutional options for Mauritania in accordance with the determination of the most suitable operational areas.

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urban water investment plan 2005-2015 and the National Rural Sanitation Programme (PNAR). Indeed, following the new DPS, the development of the sector will henceforth form part of a planning by objectives, a unified and coherent plan of actions between the sector operators and incorporated into a medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF). The formulation of the MTEF for the 2007-2009 period will outline realistic objectives in physical and financial terms, annualized by region and by objective. Its execution will be evaluated based on performance indicators defined under the 2006-2010 PRSP and a monitoring-evaluation mechanism will be implemented. 2.3.6 Lastly, the Water Code, dating from 2005, stresses the need to approach the management of the resource in a global manner in view of the multiple uses of water. The objective is to formulate a national master plan for the integrated water resources management (IWRM) aimed at sustaining the increase in water supply up to 2015. The strategic orientations of an integrated water resource management programme chiefly aimed at complementing knowledge about water resources and producing hydrogeological summary maps on appropriate scales for the entire country, and ensuring the monitoring of water resources. 2.4 Opportunities and Constraints 2.4.1 Opportunities in the Drinking Water Sector. The outputs of the 1998 reform introduced by the DPD/EE contributed to improving the effectiveness of the sector along the following major lines: (i) an effective restructuring of the sector between 2001 and 2004 that improved the framework of intervention by creating specialized institutions; (ii) securement of drinking water supply for rural communities since the delegation of the management and operation of rural water facilities to ANEPA; indeed, ANEPA put in place, for thermal and solar DWS networks, an efficient system of local maintenance by its four regional bases, whose geographic location makes for a convenient coverage of the thirteen regions of the country. Given their intervention logistics, these bases helped reduce the response times, in the event of breakdowns, to two days on average, thus reducing the overall duration of the disruptions in supply water; (iii) involvement of autonomous private operators in urban and rural water supply whose interventions are in accordance with the provisions of the Water Code; (iv) commitment by the APAUS to implement programmes for disadvantaged communities in the most remote areas whose management will be entrusted to private operators; (v) the impact of the availability of rural water, noticeable in the progressive settling of and increase in the numbers of people in the villages; (vi) the Water Code, by giving preference to partnership between the State, local communities and private operators, which fosters the safeguarding of the management and operation of water infrastructure and the financing of investments; (vii) emergence of a national private sector capacity for consulting firms, borehole enterprises and maintenance companies, particularly entailing the use of solar energy; and lastly (viii) a delegated system of management for rural and semi-urban networks on a national scale, comprising the recovery of recurrent costs for the 365 systems currently through an agreement with the ANEPA. 2.4.2 Several Sectoral Constraints or Shortcomings Still Remain. (i) the implementation of the reform has not been completed, particularly in terms of the coordination and planning of the sector as well as the application of regulations and implementation of support measures. Several water programmes have been designed and carried out by structures external to the Ministry of Water Supply, sometimes without consulting the latter; (ii) weak capacities of technical services that hamper the development of the sector. This constraint is

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manifested by a lack of qualified staff, and more widely insufficient training of the major stakeholders of sector (public sector, private sector and NGOs). This justifies the need to build the capacities of local structures of the sector as part of the successive interventions of various donors; (iii) the growth of the urban population, particularly in Nouakchott, has impeded the rate of coverage and, consequently, access by the people to water. This has resulted in a growing demand for water leadin to equally significant increases in the volume of financing to be mobilized; (iv) the actions at the central and deconcentrated level have limited impacts as a result of regulatory deficiencies and an inadequate decentralization; (v) financial balance of the sector advocated in the 1998 declaration has not yet been attained: (a) in the urban areas, the incidence of the separation of water and electricity activities, increase in intermediate costs, notably energy costs since 2004 and freezing of rates since 2001 have contributed to deepening the deficit of SNDE; similarly, (b) in the rural and semi-urban areas, increased costs of energy and other intermediate inputs, and the lack of regular updating of rates or revision of those indicated in the triennial agreements of ANEPA, perpetuating the sector’s dependency on Government subsidies; (vi) the promotion of the private sector has been sufficiently implemented as testified by the delay in the rural areas in setting up the delegation process through competitive bidding; lastly (vii) broadening of the mandate of the Multisectoral Regulatory Authority was not accompanied by the much-needed strengthening of the latter to enable it carry out its mandate effectively. 2.4.3 Opportunities in the Sanitation Sector. The development of the sanitation sector, which has been beset by considerable delays compared to that of water supply, constitutes a priority for the Government in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Areas indicating an improvement in the sector include: (i) the creation, in November 2005, of a Directorate of Sanitation at the Ministry of Water Resources and the priority given to sanitation in the organisational framework of other intervention structures of the sector; (ii) strengthening of sanitation in the new Water Code adopted in 2005 which provides for community sewerage systems for cities with a master plan and private sanitation for the other localities; (iii) notable increase in the budget allocated to urban sanitation and its inclusion in all urban water projects; (iv) formulation of a national rural and semi-urban sanitation programme serving as a national action framework including a sanitation component in each water project; and (v) establishment of sanitation structures under a pilot programme for 300 households initially covering three regions. 2.4.4 The Following Constraints or Shortcomings Need to be Addressed. (i) lack of a concise regulatory framework; indeed, very few instruments regulate the sanitation sub-sector in Mauritania. The Hygiene Code promulgated in 1986 was never implemented and has since become obsolete. The Water Code, promulgated in 2005, devotes Chapter V to sanitation and specifies that rural localities must cover their needs through autonomous sanitation facilities. This framework should therefore be improved and the institution building dimension incorporated into the national rural sanitation programme (PNAR); (ii) the existence of numerous institutions operating in sanitation (DA, the communes, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education), without a clear definition of roles and responsibilities of each one; and lastly (iii) the weak capacities of technical services that are manifested, for the water sector, by a lack of qualified personnel and, more widely, insufficient training for all the major actors of the sector (public sector, private sector, NGOs, etc.).

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2.5 National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (PNAEPA-2015) Process of Setting Up the PNAEPA-2015 2.5.1 During the Millennium Summit of 6 to 8 September 2000 in New York and the one on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg of September 2002, world leaders agreed to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without access to drinking water supply and adequate sanitation services. 2.5.2 Thus, the decision was taken by the country’s authorities to formulate, with financial assistance by the French Cooperation Agency, the national water supply and sanitation programme for 2015 (PNAEPA-2015). This has led to a participatory formulation process that included all the actors (local councils and development partners, donors, NGOs, etc.). The process was officially finalized and the documents adopted by the country’s authorities in November 2005. The programme is estimated at MRO 158 billion (UA 394 million), comprising UA 125 million (32%) for the rural component and UA 269 million for the urban component. 2.5.3 In view of the fact that it was designed in a concerted manner with all the development partners of the sector and adopted by them at the donors’ round table of 15 June 2006 in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian Government considers the PNAEPA-2015 as the only reference framework for intervention by all the water and sanitation actors for the next ten years. Thus, it will focus all the initiatives on the MDGs and ensure the consistency of the interventions. Moreover, it will follow the guiding principles for implementation outlined in the poverty reduction strategy framework. Also, the Sector Policy Declaration (DPS), adopted by the Government on 17 May 2006 to serve as an institutional framework for achieving the objectives of the PNAEPA-2015, also proposes ways and means for addressing the residual constraints on the sector and detailed in paragraphs 2.4.2 and 2.4.4. 2.6 Financing of the Sector 2.6.1 Since the adoption of the DPD/EE of 1998 and the putting in place of the relevant institutional reform, the Mauritanian Government has made considerable efforts in the water sector. Thus, it mobilized over MRO 10 billion for the urban areas and MRO 3.5 billion for the rural areas from its own funds. 2.6.2 In urban areas, the main recent interventions relating to infrastructure financed with the support of donors in the water sector are as follows: (i) a major water supply project for the capital stemming from the River Senegal (the Aftout Essahli Project: US $220 million), with the participation of the ADF, the IBD, AFESD, the Saudi Fund and Kuwaiti Fund, OPEC and the Government. This project, which has been ongoing and is aimed at covering the water needs of the capital up to 2030, is expected to be completed in October 2009; and (ii) aggregrated small and medium-scale projects implemented with financing from: (a) the World Bank: the Water Sector Projects in secondary towns and water infrastructure under the Urban Development Programme (PDU); (b) the French Development Agency (AFD): Programme for Strengthening the Catchment Areas of 4 Hinterland Towns; (c) Japan Interational Cooperation Agency: strengthening of production and distribution for the town of Kiffa; and (d) Spanish Cooperation: for providing drinking water infrastructure in the Maghta Lahjar locality.

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2.6.3 In the rural areas, several donors (European Union, AFD, Saudi Fund, IBD, Japanese Cooperation, Spanish Cooperation, etc.) traditionally support Mauritania for water projects. In the last six years, an investment amounting to MRO 11.4 billion (US $42 million) was made by the Government and its development partners to carry out rural and pastoral water projects. These include some notable rural water projects in recent years with: (i) the EU: the regional solar programme, phase 2 (PRS 2) and the Espoir water project; (ii) the AFD: DWS for 19 semi-urban centres in Gorgol and Guidimakha, in addition to studies and the formulation of investment plans it financed; and (iii) Spanish Cooperation for the provision of drinking water infrastructure at Boulenouar and desalination units on the northern coast between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. 2.6.4 Lastly, at the multisectoral level, it is worth mentioning that the World Bank financed a support project for the reform of the water, sanitation and energy sectors (PARSEAE) that was completed in December 2005. This project enabled, inter alia, the detailed analysis of the institutional environment of the urban water sub-sector and the formulation the ANEPA Development Plan of for the rural and semi-urban areas. In view of the results of the PARSEAE, the World Bank undertook to continue providing support to institutional reforms and finance a tariff study in the water sector for the SNDE. 2.6.5 With regard to the Bank, it was at the end of the 1970s that it began to provide its assistance to Mauritania in the area of drinking water supply. The magnitude of the pressure of the population of Nouakchott on the city posed a serious health risk in view of the inability to meet the water needs of the inhabitants. Thus, prior to formulating the PRSP, the Bank had already financed three projects in the water sector: (i) the project for the rehabilitation of water and sanitation supply in the city of Nouakchott carried out in 1985; (ii) the rural water project in the south-east in 1991, consisting in the drilling of 220 positive boreholes, 205 of which were equipped with handpumps and 15 with motorized pumps. These structures were meant for the water supply of nearly 218,000 persons; and lastly (iii) formulation of the drinking water supply master plan of 10 towns in the hinterland in 1992. The objective of the plan was to address the drinking water supply problems of about 204,000 persons in the towns concerned. These investments in the water and sanitation sector therefore aimed at strengthening and expanding distribution networks in the major towns of the country. However, with the influx of the population to the capital and the attendant growth in demand, the water supply problem soon became acute, notably in Nouakchott where the needs quickly outstripped the inflow from the Idini catchment area. The Nouakchott DWS project originating from the Senegal River (Aftout-Essaheli), approved and cofinanced by the Bank in 2003, aimed precisely at increasing the current flow rate from 60,000 m3/day to 170,000 m3 by 2020 and 226,000 m3 by 2030. 2.6.6 To find ways and means of financing the national programme, the Mauritanian Government invited all the development partners of the sector to a round table organized on 15 June 2006 in Nouakchott. However, it needs to be mentioned that these partners had already actively participated in all the design stages of PNAEPA-2015. This round table conference therefore saw the active participation of about fifteen diplomatic representations, donors, and multilateral and bilateral cooperation and development agencies. It was chaired by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Development (MAED) and the Minister of Water Resources (MH). For the Government, the objectives of the round table conference were to: (i) present to the development partners the new sectoral policies of Mauritania in the area of water supply and sanitation as well as the PNAEPA-2015 sectoral investment plans; (ii)

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garner the comments of development partners on these new strategic orientations as well as the modalities of the implementation of the PNAEPA-2015; (iii) and note the declarations of intent of development partners regarding their future contributions to the implementation of PNAEPA-2015. 2.7 Lessons Learnt from Donor Interventions 2.7.1 Firstly, the evaluation of the Bank’s assistance in Mauritania in the Industry / Mines / Finance / Public Utility/Transport sectors carried out in 2004 by the Evaluation of Operations Department (OPEV) indicates that the efficiency of operations financed in the water and sanitation sector prior to the Nouakchott Water Supply Project (Aftout – Essahli) was unsatisfactory. More specifically, the report noted that in spite of these operations: i) the water supply flow rate of the capital has for a long time been below projections; ii) the water distribution network is in a poor condition (in Nouakchott, technical losses amount to over 30%); iii) the problem related to the collection and treatment of waste water in the capital has not been addressed, despite the financing of sanitation structures and networks for the city; and lastly iv) the Nouakchott recyclying unit can only recycle 3% of drinking water consumed. 2.7.2 In the rural areas, the major lessons learnt from the Bank’s intervention through the south-east rural water project relate to two aspects (maintenance of rural water structures and the issue of the sociological specificities of the rural areas of the country): (i) the frequent shortages of spare parts for the maintenance of handpumps, resulting in protracted breakdowns of water equipment to the detriment of the communities, finally resulted in the latter giving preference to mini-solar pumping systems instead of the handpumps; and (ii) the sociological issue related to the aversion of rural women to foot pumps for fear of suffering abortion or miscarriage. 2.7.3 Furthermore, over the last thirty years, resources provided by both the Government and the development partners were mainly concentrated in the water sector to the detriment of sanitation, particularly in the rural areas. The need to make adjustments for rural sanitation as recommended in the PNAEPA-2015 will only be possible if all the partners adhere to the principle of the systematic linkage of water supply to sanitation in the projects financed. 2.7.4 Besides, the experiences in the country indicate that the efforts of many donors in the rural water sector have not always been sufficiently coordinated to yield a significant impact. The setting up of a donors’ committee for the sub-sector, led by the AFD, paved the way for some harmonization of the approaches that facilitated the judicious and progressive transition to a programme approach. Furthermore, the adoption on 15 June 2006 in Nouakchott of the investment plans contained in the PNAEPA-2015 by the Government and the donor community laid the groundwork for a unified coordination of all the actors in the sector. It is for this reason that the Government undertook to put in place the following two structures: (i) a light unit to cater for the unified and harmonized coordination of all the PNAEPA-2015 stakeholders, thus avoiding the multiplication of project management units whenever financing is put in place by a partner; and (ii) a steering committee chaired by the Ministry of Water Resources and involving all the national and international stakeholders in the sector, including development partners.

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3 THE RURAL DWSS SUB-SECTOR 3.1 Phasing and Consistency of Rural Component of PNAEPA-2015 3.1.1 The rural component of the Programme comprises four phases: (i) a two-year preparatory phase covering the 2005-2007 period that includes negotiation with partners for the financing of the Programme, putting in place of unified intervention framework, execution of a priority investment project and invitation for bids for the works of the first phase; (ii) three implementation phases, between 2008 and 2015. A review will be carried out at the end of each phase to enable a possible adjustment of the objectives. 3.1.2 Actions that will have to be undertaken to achieve the MDGs (increase in rate of access to drinking water from 49% in 2005 to 74% in 2015; rate of access to sanitation services from 20% to 60%) are as follows: (a) the “Dtrinking Water Supply Infrastructure” Component for the supply of drinking water to an additional 1,248 localities and the strengthening of existing infrastructure; (b) the “Sanitation Infrastructure” Component for the provision of 129,000 autonomous domestic sanitation systems and 2,250 public lavatories; and (c) the “Institutional Support and Support Measures” Component comprising: (i) building of the implementation capacities of government services, local councils and the private sector; (ii) building the management capacities of users’ associations; (iii) building the monitoring-evaluation capacities; (iv) building local financing capacities through decentralized financial systems; and (v) programme coordination. The structures provided under the programme will cover an overall rural population of 1.84 million persons in the country’s thirteen regions by 2015. 3.2 Bank Group Strategy 3.2.1 The present DWSS project in the southern part of the country is an integral part of the rural component of PNAEPA-2015 and falls under the Bank’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitaion Initiative (RWSSI). The rationale for focusing on the rural sector of the initiative is to remedy the imbalance of investments that have been in favour of the urban areas and at the same time contribute to reducing poverty in rural communities. The Initiative initially began in a group of countries whose institutional framework was deemed to be particularly advanced and had a national DWSS programme targeting the year 2015 (Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Uganda, Ethiopia and Madagascar). By setting up the Programme, Mauritania has therefore fulfilled all the conditions for launching the Initiative in the country. The total estimated amount of the PNAEPA-2015 for the rural areas is UA 125 million (MRO 50 billion), UA 87.5 million of which will be earmarked for water infrastructure and MRO 37.5 million for sanitation facilities. The investment schedule relating to this amount will comply with a financial schedule compatible with the various phases of the Programme described in paragraph 3.1.1 above. The amount required for the first phase (2005-2007) of this Programme within which the present project is set, is estimated at UA 25 million. 3.2.2 At the 15 June 2006 round table held in Nouakchott, the Bank launched an appeal to other development partners for the cofinancing of the first phase (2005-2007) of the PNAEPA-2015. However, in view of the commitment of donors to financing ongoing operations, at least up to 2008, financing of the present project will be borne by the Bank alone. The new strategic orientations defined in the PNAEPA-2015 by the Government to achieve the MDGs for water and sanitation however received a clear and resolute support from all the partners present, who undertook to support the Government in this regard. Also,

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some partners undertook to set their future sectoral activities within the “unified framework of interventions” expected to be established by end 2007 and as part of the following phases (2008-2015 period) of the national programme (see Annex 6 on the intentions of potential financing institutions of the sector). 3.2.3 In order to consolidate the programmatic approach desired by the Government and partners in achieving the objectives of PNAEPA-2015, the Bank will also assist the country to prepare the next phase of the Programme expected to start in 2008. It will also undertake an advocacy action to mobilize other donors in the financing of the phase. This will be all the more facilitated as the sectoral medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) is expected to be formulated with the financial support of the AFD. The MTEF will help assess the actual absorptive capacity of the sector in relation to the investments proposed under the PNAEPA-2015. 4 RURAL DWSS PROJECT IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE 4.1 Design and Rationale Technical Design of Project 4.1.1 The technical design of the present project is based on: (i) a referential framework for water supply options adopted for PNAEPA-2015; (ii) basic planning established nationwide for the formulation of the PNAEPA-2015 investment plan aimed at achieving the MDGs; and (iii) planning of works, which involves the participation in and request by users and local elected representatives, in consultation with the Government technical services. 4.1.2 For drinking water, the referential framework or “technical package” of water supply options comprises: (i) connection of the locality that has expressed the need for multivillage water supply (AEMV); (ii) connection of the locality to a new or existing borehole through the extension of network, including, where necessary, the construction of a reinforced concrete water tower close to the boreholes with sufficient height to serve all the localities targeted; (iii) construction in the locality of a (mono)-village water supply system that will only serve this village (AEV), this option requires the creation of village DWS networks and the construction of standpipes. For the smallest localities of this category, comprising between 500 and 800 inhabitants, a solar pumping system will be provided to optimize the investments in relation to the size of the locality served; (iv) establishment of surface water treatment plants and treated water distribution networks for villages without workable underground resources; (v) construction of modern wells, counter-wells or boreholes fitted with a mini-solar pumping set for localities with populations of 150 to 500 inhabitants. In view of the growing lack of interest by rural communities in water structures fitted with handpumps (HP)3, the much-preferred mini solar pumping systems are increasingly replacing handpumps. This is largely ascertained with the successful implementation of the Sahel Water Project. To avert maintenance problems and secure the adherence of the beneficiary communities for a sustainable operation of the structures provided, the present project will not entail the installation of handpumps.

3 Frequent problems of shortage of spare parts for maintenance result in protracted breakdowns of the structures, affecting supplies to communities.

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4.1.3 Criteria for opting for a particular technical solution for a given locality take into account: (i) needs expressed at the grassroots level by the communities themselves (demand-driven approach); (ii) current situation of access to water; (iii) population by the year 2015; (iv) its adherence to the current system of private management of water supply facilities aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the operation; (v) its position in relation to the area of influence of the existing boreholes; and (vi) the proximity of other similar localities with which it could form a critical area of concentration to justify a new AEMV. The connection of a locality to an existing borehole is the first option considered, the other options are considered only where a given connection is not technically feasible or cannot be justified. 4.1.4 With regard to household sanitation, the referential framework or “technical package” of sanitation solutions comprises: (i) VIP latrine or manual flush toilet (MFT); (ii) a handwash basin; and (iii) washstands. These are relatively cheap, hygienic and sustainabile facilities. 4.1.5 With regard to community sanitation, the public lavatory model is a standard multiple compartment structure (5 to 6 compartments) with MFT and separate male-female sections, including 3 urinals and 2 handwash facilities. A single model will be used for all the structures of the project. Rationale of Technical Choices 4.1.6 The technical water supply solutions adopted for drinking water have been widely proven in Mauritania and closely reflect the preferences and practices of the people. Indeed, water supply remains the priority of the communities who are now used to paying for water in the rural areas. It is also worth noting that, the managers of networks under concessionary arrangement with the ANEPA in “major semi-urban centres” achieve an average extension rate of 150% on their networks. In view of this, national private enterprises of the sector have acquired considerable experience for these types of works and services and have equipped themselves accordingly. Furthermore, it is worth noting that these private enterprises do not encounter any difficulty obtaining spare parts for the maintenance of water structures. 4.1.7 The inconclusive experience of handpump systems shows that a vast majority of the communities prefer private connections or, in the absence of the latter, mini-networks with standpipes. This indicates that demand will be radically in favour of this solution and that the contribution of users could be mobilized without much difficulty. The consumption standards are based on observations made during the surveys, namely 20 litres/day/person. 4.1.8 In the area of sanitation, the experience remains marginal. Access rates are low and estimated at 20% on average. Indeed, it has been observed that the use of household sanitation has been impeded by several obstacles: the lack of technicians conversant with latest technologies, lack of awareness on the impact of sanitation systems on health (correlation between adequate sanitation system and decline of diarrhoeal diseases and dysenteries), and especially the lack of a support structure to cater for operational aspects (mobilization of users’ contribution, information, monitoring of achievements, intermediation, etc.). However, drawing on the experiences carried out in neighbouring countries, the impact of sanitary structures on the health of rural population does not need any further proof. Thus in these countries, it has been established that the net decline of malaria

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(primary cause of mortality in rural Africa) and skin diseases, following the construction of wash basins in rural households. Indeed, this small and relatively cheap structure (about MRO 25,000) helps avoid the stagnation of domestic waste water in household compounds, and thereby deprives the anopheles (malaria vector mosquito) of an environment that would favour its proliferation. 4.1.9 With regard to the distribution of interventions by zone, following the analysis of resources allocated to the project and infrastructure needed as identified in the basic planning of PNAEPA-2015, the following options appear to be the most optimal: (i) the three regions targeted by the project, namely Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol are among the most populated of the country, with an average population of 219,000 rural dwellers; (ii) moreover, they show a significant deficit in drinking water supply. Indeed, the current average access rate in these three regions is 36%4, well below the national average of 49%. 4.2 Project Objectives 4.2.1 The sector goal of the project is to contribute to improving the socioeconomic and health conditions of rural communities. The specific objectives are to: (i) improve the supply of drinking water and household sanitation services in 74 rural localities in the three regions targeted (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol) out of the thirteen regions in the country; and (ii) improve community sanitation services of public amenities (schools, health centres, road transport stations, markets and others) in the targeted rural communities of the three regions. These objectives target, in the three regions, a total rural population of 658,000 persons. 4.2.2 Overall, the provision of the DWS structures under the present project will help increase the average rate of access to safe water by the targeted rural communities from 36% to 41%, and thereby, meet 17% of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for water in the three regions5. In the area of sanitation, given the average rate of access in the three regions estimated at 20%, the project will contribute to increasing this to 34%, and thereby, meet 35% of the MDG targets for sanitation in these regions. 4.3 Intervention Areas and Target Communities of Project 4.3.1 The choice of the project intervention areas is justified by the following three reasons: (i) state of access to drinking water supply and sanitation services in the Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol regions; indeed, in 2005, the actual rate of access by the communities to safe water, including all supply solutions, was 38%, 30% and 40% respectively. Also, the rate of access per DWS network indicates that these three regions are clearly under-equipped, with 32% DWS equipment rates in Hodh El Chargui, 28% in Assaba and 20% in Gorgol, indicating that a significant portion of the population in these regions draw their water from vulnerable sources of dubious quality; (ii) the high priority the 4 To calculate the real average access, the rate of actual equipment was adjusted based on the following assumptions: 100% of persons in an area with a modern well and 90% of persons with a DWS system effectively have access to water. 5 Achieving the MDGs in these three regions would mean raising the average access to water by 32% (36% currently to 68%) by 2015. The project will help raise the average access by 5% in these regions (by increasing the average rate from the current 36% to 41% by 2009). Similarly, achieving the MDGs in the three regions would mean raising average access to sanitation by 40% (from the current 20% to 60% by 2015). And the project will help improve average access by 14% in the three regions (from the current rate of 20% to 34% by 2009).

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Government has given to the poverty reduction programme in these regions that constitute some of the most populated and poorest in the country and whose water supply and sanitation the project will seek to improve; and lastly (iii) the inter-sectoral synergy potential with the simultaneous intervention of the Agency for the Promotion of Universal Access to Services (APAUS) in the rural thermal and solar electrification programmes. 4.3.2 Physical Context. The project intervention area covers mainly the three regions: (i) the Hodh El Chargui, located in the extreme south-eastern part of the country with Nema as the regional capital at the centre of the wilaya situated at over 1100 km from Nouakchott the country’s capital; (ii) Assaba at the south-central part of the country whose capital Kiffa is over 600 km from Nouakchott; and (iii) Gorgol, a southern region along the Senegal River whose capital Kaédi is nearly 450 km from Nouakchott. The climate that characterizes the first two regions is of the Sahelian and Saharan type, which is dry with a relatively low rainfall. Gorgol, which is located along the river, is more humid but has relatively low rainfall in its northern part. Rains essentially cover a short period in the year, namely from June to September. They are also marked by high spatial variations. 4.3.3 Underground Water. Despite a relatively dense hydrographic network, the zone is characterized by insufficient or even scarce aquifers The geological formations to which the region belongs (Assaba sandstone and the M’Bout-Sélibaby schistose metamorphic series) do not have significant aquifers due to their nature. The overall hydro-geological situation is as follows: (i) to the west of the zone the Brakna aquifer forms a parallel strip on the edge of the Continental Terminal of the Senegal-Mauritanian Basin from which it is separated by a 20 to 25 km dry bevel; (ii) the eastern portion, consisting of the higher Assabe Cambro-Ordovician sandstone contains continuous and discontinuous aquifers; and (iii) the M’Bout-Selibaby schistose metamorphic series, situated on the edge of the Bakna sheet void of water except in the area where altered or fractured rocks contain discontinuous aquifers. This accounts for low flow rate of most of the boreholes drilled in the area. In general, the power of these discontinuous aquifers depend on the intensity or extent of their fractures and their recharge capacity from rainfall. Thus the wells sunk right on top of the fractures or at their intersection can yield exceptional flows of up to 10 m3/h. 4.3.4 Socioeconomic Context. At the administrative level, the three regions comprise: i) for Hodh El Chargui, 6 Moughataas (departments) and 30 communes; ii) for Assaba, 5 Moughataas and 26 communes; and iii) for Gorgol, 4 Moughataas and 29 communes. All these communes are eligible for the project. The total rural population of the three regions concerned by the project is estimated at nearly 658,000 inhabitants, that is 42% of the total rural population of the country (1.56 million) and 23% of the country’s total population (2.83 million). This target rural population is distributed as follows: Hodh El Chargui has about 235,000, Assaba, 211,000 and Gorgol, 212,000. 4.3.5 The fact that 61% of the populations of Hodh El Chargui, 69% of Assaba and 59% of Gorgol continue to draw their water supply from unprotected wells and other water sources such as the standpipe is the cause of the high incidence of diarrhoeal diseases and various forms of dysenteries in the regions. The putting in place of water supply networks under the present project should therefore have reduced the prevalence of these diseases significantly. 4.3.6 The PRSP indicates that the regions of the south (Assaba and Gorgol), targeted by the Poverty Reduction Project in Aftout South and Karakoro (PASK) form part of the country’s regions that are most affected by rural poverty. Indeed, the poverty indices of the

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rural localities of the three regions targeted by the project (Hodh El Chargui, Assaba and Gorgol), are 52%, 84% and 77% respectively, with the last two indices classifying their regions among the areas of extreme poverty. These two last regions have the poorest Moughataas in the country, namely Kankossa (Assaba) and M’bout (Gorgol). The poverty raging in these areas is exacerbated by the geographic remoteness of the capital, lack of income-generating activities, low financial resources and local capacities, and insufficient level of intervention by development actors. The Hodh El Chargui also forms part of the regions where resources are unevenly distributed, as indicated by the figures for access to water and basic services. 4.3.7 In the area of sanitation, the overall national rate indicates that only 20% of the rural communities have access to sanitation. However, the present project will help raise the sanitation coverage rate to an average of 34% in the three regions by 2009. Furthermore, this rate of access will be all the more significant as the development partners systematically include a sizeable sanitation component in their projects in line with the recommendations of the PNAEPA-2015. 4.3.8 Target Communities. The beneficiaries of the project are the rural communities in the three regions that will have made their needs known to the authorities. Areas with the highest deficit will be privileged. Community sanitation needs for schools, health centres, markets and rural public places will also be taken into account within the scope of financing of the present project. These public sanitation needs will be expressed, either through the main towns of the rural communities or directly through the communities or authorities in the villages. 4.3.9 On the whole, the infrastructures put in place under the present project will enable nearly 41,000 persons in rural communes in the regions concerned to have access to potable water by 2009 while at the same time, 93,000 persons will gain direct access to household and/or community sanitation. 4.4 Strategic Context 4.4.1 The present project will be implemented within the context of the 2006-2010 PRSP and the MDGs. It will also take into account the main orientations of the Results-based Country Strategy Paper (RBCSP 2005-2009) that defines the water and sanitation sector as a priority area for action. 4.4.2 The 2006-2010 PRSP clearly defines (in 5 priority areas) promotion of access to water and sanitation services as one of the pillars of the national strategy for combating poverty. The objectives fixed for water and sanitation in the PRSP are as follows: (i) enhance the quality and rate of access to drinking water through the construction of boreholes and modern wells and the rehabilitation of old boreholes; (ii) improve access to adequate systems of evacuation of excreta; (iii) improve access to adequate systems of domestic waste water evacuation; (iv) positively change the attitudes and behaviours of beneficiary communities; and (v) disseminate appropriate and low cost technologies. By adopting this perspective, the PNAEPA-2015 defined the supply targets in relation to these expectations. The latter were taken into account in the formulation of the present project.

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4.5 Project Description 4.5.1 The expected outputs of the project are as follows: (i) household latrines and wash basins with wash-stands; (ii) multi-compartment community latrines, built near village public amenities (markets, schools, health centres and other public places); (iii) new wells and boreholes; (iv) DWS structures and water treatment plants as well as related service networks; (v) putting in place of water users’ associations (WUA) and training of their ranking members; and lastly (vi) appointment and introduction of female representatives for awareness on hygiene, recruitment and training of masons in household latrine construction. 4.5.2 Specifically, the project entails the following components: A. Development of Basic DWSS infrastructure; B. Institutional Support to Structures Operating under the Project; and C. Coordination and Management of the National Programme. COMPONENT A: Development of Basic DWSS Infrastructure 4.5.3 Drinking Water Supply in Rural Localities of Project. This activity concerns the drilling of at least 35 new boreholes and 15 modern wells; the construction of 46 new DWS systems, including water towers to serve at least an equivalent number of localities; establishment of 6 water treatment units backed by supply networks; putting in place of 40 pumping thermal sets (motors and pumps) and 12 solar pum