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Rethinking Water Management in African Cities
Michael Webster, World Bank
Africa Urban Infrastructure Summit, Cape Town, April 22, 2013
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Africa’s looming water crisis
In the next 20 years, African cities will double,and water demand will triple;
whereas, water supply is shrinking
Our current approach is not workingWe need to think more creatively and
pragmatically about future options
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Research project in 31 large African cities
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Urban population will double in the next 20 years (3.9% per year)
1990 2010 2030 20500
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
28%37%
48%
60% Rural PopUrban Pop% Ur-ban
Popu
latio
n (M
)
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With some of the highest rates of urban growth in the world
Luan
da
Cotonou
Ouagad
ougou
Douala
Lubumbash
i
Kumasi
Conakry
Nairobi
Blantyr
eAbuja
Kano
Dakar
Johannesb
urg
Durban
Al-Khart
um (Khart
oum)
Dar es
Salaa
m
Kampala
Lusak
a
Harare
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9Annual Rate of Growth (2005-2010)
Doubling times, yrs
35 yrs
24 yrs18 yrs
7 yrs
With still most urban population in secondary cities
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Urbanization brings growth…
Economic footprint of urban areasSource: World Development Report, 2009
1970
2009
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Urbanization happens early…
Much of urbanization happens before countries get to $5,000 per capita
Source: WDR 2009
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But faster urban growth has also meant faster growth of slums (1990-2001)
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Water demand will more than triple in 25 years – twice any other region (2005-2030)
Source: McKinsey, 2011
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And African countries face a
dramatic decrease in
water availability per capita over the next 20 years
• cuc
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But we currently use 19th century principles of water management
• Urban form created with little input from water professionals – we just plumb it up later !
• Stormwater and wastewater treated as waste
• Institutional landscape not conducive for holistic approach
• Regulations are inflexible - can’t deal well with resource efficiency….
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And business as usual is not working…
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Intermittent & Irregular
Supply
Water Scarcity
Fast Growing Cities
Irregular Energy Supply
Highly Polluted Water Bodies
Lack of Wastewater
Collection and Treatment
Poor Solid Waste
Management
High Levels of Leakage
Low Pressure
We need to think about the entire water cycle as one system
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Future water sources in Nairobi
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Think creatively about water sourcesE.g. Windhoek, Durban, Singapore reuse wastewater
66%8%
20% 6% Surface Water
Ground Water
New Goreangab water Reclama-tion Plant (NGWRP)
Old Goreangab water Reclamation Plant (OGWRP)
Windhoek water sources
Fresh Water Supply
Waste Water
Small Water Consuming
Industry
Fresh Water Source
Waste Water from Durban City
Reuse of Water
[Reduction in Wastewater discharge @10%]
[7% (47.50 Ml/d) of City’s Current Demand ]
eThekwini Water Services: Build on PPP Concept
Durban reuses 10% for industry
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Arua (Uganda): Can decentralized solutions postpone a very large infrastructure project?
Source: ian.umces.edu
Provided effective watershed management in place
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Mbale (Uganda): A window of opportunity for adaptive solutions
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IUWM challenges and capacity
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Water operators and municipalities want integrated plans
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Drought plans
Flood plans Rainwater harvesting
Solid waste Future population
Informal settlements
Water operators : issues included in current plan
Yes No I don't know
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Drought plans
Flood plans Rainwater harvesting
Solid waste Future population
Informal settlements
Municipalities : issues included in current plan
Yes No I don't know
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Drought plans
Flood plans Rainwater harvesting
Solid waste Future population
Informal settlements
Water operators : issues that should be included in future plans
Agree Disagree I don't know
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Drought plans
Flood plans Rainwater harvesting
Solid waste Future population
Informal settlements
Municipalities : issues that should be included in future plans
Agree Disagree I don't know
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Conclusion
• IUWM is still an emerging approach• Lots of application for upstream planning• Pilots are needed to demonstrate value• More work is needed on the financial
and institutional issues• Lots of interest from Central and Local
Governments
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http://water.worldbank.org/node/84190
Thank you!