Africa > Water

Water in Africa

  • For Africa to end chronic hunger, governments must invest in sustainable water supplies, writes Esther Ngumbi.

    AFRICA, 2017/04/30 The fields are bare under the scorching sun and temperatures rise with each passing week. Any crops the extreme temperatures haven’t destroyed, the insect pests have, and for a lot of farmers, there is nothing they can do. Presently, news about hunger across Africa makes mass media headlines daily. Globally, hunger levels are at their highest. In fact, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, over 70 million people across 45 nations will require food emergency assistance in 2017, with Africa being home to three of the four nations deemed to face a critical risk of famine: Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. African governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and humanitarian relief agencies, inclunding the United Nations World Food Programme, continue to launch short-term solutions such as food relief supplies to avert the situation. Kenya, for example, is handing cash transfers and food relief to its affected citizens. The UN World Food Programme is as well distributing food to drought-stricken Somalia. And in Zambia, the government is employing each tool inclunding its military to combat insect pest infestation. But why are we here? What happened? Why is there such a large drought?
  • Water and power: Mega-dams, mega-damage?

    WORLD, 2017/04/30
  • Rwanda: Japanese Grant to Boost Access to Clean Water in Rural Areas

    JAPAN, 2017/03/12 Japanese government has given a grant amounting to $147, 075 (approx. Rwf121 million) to two local organisations that will supply water in the districts of Muhanga and Bugesera. The two projects will increase access to clean water in areas where residents had for long experienced water shortages. The recipients are Movement for the Fight against Hunger in the World (MFLM) and Rwanda Environment Conservation Organisation (RECOR). A portion of the grant, $72,925, will be used by MFLM to construct 20 water points, a filtration system, water tank, equilibrium chamber and 11-km-long water pipes in Shyogwe sector in Muhanga district.
  • Great Inga Dam project A solution to Africa’s power deficit

    CONGO BRAZZAVILLE, 2017/03/04 The ambitious Great Inga Dam project on the Congo River, has the potential to generate 42,000 MW, enough electricity to power DRC and much of the continent. The initial phase, Inga III, will produce 4800 MW, half of which will be exported to South Africa, the country’s major partner in this project Energy has driven a social and industrial revolution throughout the DRC over recent years and further developments are presently being planned to cement the country’s economic next. The African country’s energy sector had been struggling with ageing infrastructure and power plants that had endured a lack of maintenance and investment , but in 2014 all industry was liberalised to entice development. Regulatory frameworks were revised and a series of significant projects were launched, offering a variety of opportunities to international and domestic parties alike.
  • Mozambique: Severe Water Restrictions for Maputo

    MAPUTO CITY, 2017/01/13 The Maputo Regional Water Company (AdeM) has announced drastic restrictions in the water supply to the Better Maputo Metropolitan Sector(Maputo and Matola cities, and Boane district) as from Tuesday. There is simply not enough water in the Umbeluzi river and the reservoir at the Pequenos Libombos dam to continue normal supplies to Maputo. AdeM has therefore announced that water will only be pumped to Maputo, Matola and Boane on alternate days. “Top priority” will be given to water for human consumption, said the AdeM statement. The company promised to indicate specific points where building companies can send tanker trucks to pick up water for construction purposes.
  • Nigeria: UN expert calls for budget plans to tackle “unacceptable” water crisis in Lagos

    NIGERIA, 2016/12/23
  • South Africa: Finance minister in hot waters, rand tumbles

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2016/08/27
  • Angola awards water supply project to Portuguese-French consortium

    ANGOLA, 2015/12/31 A Portuguese-French consortium was selected by the Angolan government to carry out work on the water supply network worth US$301 million, according to presidential orders. The initial of the contracts is related to studies, the executive design and construction project for water capture, a raw water pumping station, pumping duct and treatment plant of the project called “Lot B1″ for 39.678 billion kwanzas, to be implemented by consortium of French group Degremont and Portuguese companies Mota-Engil and Soares da Costa.
  • Djibouti renewable water security

    DJIBOUTI CITY, 2015/12/26 Plans are taking shape to improve the provision of basic utilities in Djibouti, with renewables set to play a leading role. A major investment drive, which includes construction of a 45,000-cu-metre desalination and renewable energy plant in the capital city of Djibouti, forms part of the government’s bid to foster better self-sufficiency in terms of basic resources like power and water. Desalination solution The new desalination plant, referred to as the Project for Producing Safe Drinking Water with Renewable Energy (Production d’Eau Potable par Dessalement et Energie Renouvelable, PEPER), will cost around €46m, according to the National Office for Water and Sanitation of Djibouti (Office National de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement de Djibouti, ONEAD).
  • Ghana's Akosombo Dam Faces Shutdown

    GHANA, 2015/12/15 The easing electricity crisis in the country may relapse as the Akosombo Hydro generating plant faces a possible shutdown due to a drastic drop in the water level. Water levels in the Volta Lake which supplies the dam keep falling drastically due to the harmattan season. As of Friday, December 11, the water level in the dam stood at 243.55 feet and a further drop of 3.55 feet will mean a total shutdown of the plant. The minimum operating water level for the dam is 240ft, and at this level, authorities are required to shut the turbines to save the plant, TV3's Odelia Ntiamoah Boampong reports.