Cote d'Ivoire Water Security and Sanitation Support Program

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The Cote d'Ivoire Water Security Project is a Multi-Phase Approach (MPA) whose the higher-level objective is to increase access to safely managed water and sanitation services, to improve the management of water resources and to strengthen the technical performance of water sector institutions in selected regions of Cote d’Ivoire. The MPA also aims to address the cycle of periodic water scarcity in northern regions of Cote d’ Ivoire by financing the rehabilitation of water storage infrastructure such as reservoirs to stabilize the water supply and ensure water availability for all uses. The MPA also seeks to strengthen the sectoral framework through the improvement of water management in both urban and rural areas. It will do so by strengthening key water institutions; supporting the reforms to the service delivery model and putting in place systems to ensure sustainable water resources management, infrastructure operations and maintenance, and quality water and sanitation service provision into the future. The proposed MPA is fully aligned with the World Bank Group (WBG) Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Cote d’Ivoire for FY16-19 and with 2021-2025 National Development Plan (NDP). It is also aligned with the Global Challenges Program, the corporate scorecard on water and sanitation and the evolution roadmap, including the use of partnerships and One World Bank collaboration. The proposed MPA is also in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), whose ambition is to ensure access to water and sanitation for all and ensure sustainable management of water resources. In addition, it will be anchored in the government’s Water Security Strategy. The program intends to build on and multiply the development impact of existing World Bank supported projects such as the Urban Water and Sanitation Project (PREMU, P156739) and other projects under implementation or under preparation in the North including. The framework supported by the MPA comprises three phases, spanning the period 2024 to 2035 : (i) the first phase (4 years) focus on improving access to water and sanitation in the northern regions with the greatest water security “hotspots” and insufficient investment in WASH services; (ii) Phase 2 (4 years) will replicate the same interventions as in Phase 1, this time in the South-West and East of the country, where the deficit in access to water and sanitation is critical; (iii) the third phase (3 years) will focus on consolidating the gains from the previous phases, correcting course on any of the pilots as needed and enhancing innovation using technologies and the latest good practices in service delivery. Phase 1 concerned by this new operation, will be structured around the following components and sub components: Component 1: Mobilization and Management of water resources: Sub-component 1.1: Rehabilitation of small water storage systems for multi-purpose uses; Sub-Component 1.2: Improving the knowledge and management of water resources Sub-component 1.3: Implementation of IWRM at the Local Level. Component 2: Improving access drinking water services; Sub-component 2.1 : Construction and rehabilitation of water supply systems ; Sub-component 2.2 : Construction of 10 multi-village systems in rural areas and small towns; Subcomponent 2.3: Water supply in health centers and schools. Component 3: Improving access to sanitation and hygiene services; Sub-component 3.1 : Construction of 40,000 household latrines rural areas and strengthening local participation in WASH; Sub-component 3.2 : Improving sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and health centers; Sub-component 3.3 : Improving fecal sludge management in secondary cities. Component 4: Institutional Strengthening and Project Management; Sub-component 4.1 Institutional Strengthening; Sub-component 4.2 Project Management. Component 5: Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC). The project will finance the rehabilitation of 4 existing small and large dams (earth dams and concrete threshold dams) in the project areas, to ensure the availability in quantity and quality of water resources for all uses (drinking water, irrigation, environment, sanitation, mining, industry). Field assessments undertaken as part of project preparation confirm that these dams, ranging in height from 2.11 to 11.5 meters with a retention capacity not exceeding 45 million cubic meters continue to deteriorate (erosion and presence of important vegetation on the dikes, silting up of the water reservoirs, and gradual decline of related infrastructures) and are in dire need of upgrades and civil works. Of the 4 existing dams to be rehabilitated (Kafine, Katiole, Korholo and Tengrela) under the project, all are high-risk dams. The project will also finance constructions such as water storage, withdrawal, adduction, and distribution facilities. These include pumping and drinking water treatment plants, water towers, water adduction system and water distribution network extensions, a threshold dam, reinforced concrete reservoirs, equipment of a recovery room, buildings, and acquisition of boats for navigation (hydrological data collection). The project will also support the delimitation of the security perimeters of water resources (including afforestation) and restocking operations (fish stocking) in reservoirs of dams. In terms of sanitation activities, this new operation will support construction of sewage sludge treatment plants including recycling of sewage by-products; construction of family latrines, latrines for schools and health care centers as well as the installation of solid waste management equipment at the community level to improve the sanitation in rural areas. The main Technical Assistance (TA) to be funded under the project will focus on capacities building to support the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), development of sanitation and drainage master plans; development of a Master Plan for the Bandama basin; hiring of technical staff for the Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Hygiene (Ministere de l’Hydraulique, de l’Assainissement et de la Salubrite MINHAS in French) and high-level international experts (water resources specialists, relevant engineers, environmental specialists); peer exchanges, benchmarking trips, workshops, and trainings. The National Water Agency (Office national de l’eau potable, ONEP) will implement all urban and rural water supply activities closely with the Hydrology Directorate of the MINHAS. The National Drainage and Sanitation Agency (Office national de l’assainissement et du drainage, ONAD) will be responsible of the urban sanitation component. MINHAS through the Rural Sanitation Directorate (DAR) will implement the rural sanitation component. The Ministry of Water Resource and Forestry through the General Directorate of Water Resources (DGRE) will be responsible for all Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) activities, and the Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Hygiene (MINHAS) will supervise the Project Coordination Unit and will be the implementing agency for the dam’s rehabilitation component. In addition to the implementing agencies, the primary beneficiaries of the project are the households of the communities in the target areas, especially youth and women, students (girls and boys), vulnerable groups, Korhogo university, and all water users.