Water master plan for 137 cities – Cameroon

PLANNING INVESTMENT FOR IMPROVING ACCESS TO WATER In line with the United Nation Millennium Development Goal (MDG), Cameroon authorities are working towards upgrading the water infrastructures countrywide to improve water coverage. To structure an investment program suited to the populations’ needs, Camwater, the public company in charge of the country water assets, launched a Water Urban Master Plan awarded to Seureca for 137 cities – 3/4 of the country urban and peri-urban water services.


For this ambitious project, Seureca relied on a permanent team of 10 resident engineers fully dedicated to the project for 12 months:
 
  • Step 1 – Network mapping and modelling
    Based on existing data and site visits, Seureca undertook the detailed audit and mapping of the existing water networks for the related 137 cities including the economic and political capital cities of Cameroon, Douala and Yaoundé. 
    In Douala and Yaoundé, Seureca engineers undertook onsite measurement campaigns leading to water network modelling.  
     
  • Step 2 – Water demand calculation
    Seureca established the water demand for the actual consumption and forecasts for the ultimate year of the project, year 2032. 
     
  • Step 3 – Water resource evaluation
    Seureca assessed the availability of water resources against the needs calculated in the the previous step. In addition, a water quality study was undertaken, based on existing data and field samples. Seureca made technical recommendations to satisfy water treatment needs and encourage access to healthy water.
     
  • Step 4 – Master Planning
    Based on the gap between water demand and resources, an investment program was defined for each city, aligned with a reliable financial model.
    Simultaneously, environmental measures were proposed to alleviate any negative impact due to the implementation of the proposed Master Plan.
     
  • Step 5 – Consolidate a National Master Plan
    The  Master Plans were finally aggregated into a National Master Plan prioritizing the investments based both on return on investment, social criteria, and environnemental impact. 
    This Master Plan will serve as a tool for helping Camwater to manage and plan future investments.

A GIS (Geographical Information System) was also created, thus allowing the Client to update whenever necessary the Master Plan accordingly.

 

The implementation of this project in a short period of time was a real challenge from the beginning, as each City was visited, from North to South, East and West of the Country, with difficult accesses above all during the rainy seasons. We thank the team for having performed successfully and having submitted a final report which is of a great value. 

Nicolas OTTOU ONANA – Project Manager, Camwater  

 

Client benefits:

  • Water resource and demand assessment
  • Investment Planning
  • GIS

 

Solution:

  • Master Planning

250 000 customers: 
7 200 000 inhabitants 

5000 km of network

355 000 m3/day of water production