Ivory Coast to extend wastewater treatment system in Abidjan

The government of Ivory Coast has selected Gauff Engineering, a German company to improve and extend the sewerage system in Abidjan.

This project aims to enhance sanitation services in Abidjan and address the limited access to the public sewerage system, as only about 15% of households are currently connected. The contract for the project was officially awarded by Bouaké Fofana, the Minister of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Ivory Coast.

The terms of reference for Gauff Engineering include connecting households in Abidjan to the public sanitation services. The project will also involve the construction of wastewater and rainwater drainage systems to mitigate flooding, which has been a significant issue in Abidjan, exacerbated by pollution and climate change. The 2018 flood was particularly severe and caused substantial damage.

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Scope of work

Gauff Engineering is scheduled to commence work on the project sites in October 2023. The focus of the liquid sanitation project will be on the poorest districts of Abidjan. The total cost for improving the efficiency and extending the sanitation system is estimated to be US $191 M which will be funded by the Ivorian Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation, and Hygiene.

The selection of Gauff Engineering for this project is notable due to their previous experience in Ivory Coast. The company has been operating in the country since 2019 and has successfully completed four sanitation projects in Abidjan between 2019 and 2022.

These projects included improvements to the Anyama-Abobo district sewerage system, the construction of rainwater collectors in flood-prone areas, restoration of flow capacity in drainage channels, and the development of an open drainage system to reduce the risk of flooding in a specific village called Locodjro, located in the Autonomous District of Abidjan.