Togo to draw up a master plan for drinking water in Lomé

1
3253
Togo to draw up a master plan for drinking water in Lomé

The government of Togo is set to draw up a master plan for drinking water supply in the greater Lomé area in bid to increase drinking water coverage in the area.

The roadmap will guide the Togolese government’s actions in terms of drinking water for the next thirty years. The authorities hope to achieve 80% drinking water coverage in the greater Lomé area by 2025.

This strategic plan will serve as a guide in the implementation of drinking water supply projects for the Togolese ministry in charge of water and operators in the sector, notably the Société du patrimoine eau et assainissement en milieu urbain et semi-urbain (SP-EAU) and the Société Togolaise des Eaux (TdE).

READ:Kenya to build new drinking water supply system in Mombasa County

Water supply and sanitation infrastructure

Since the early 1990s, Togo experienced a period of political instability which severely hampered the development of its water supply and sanitation infrastructure. Overall the access rates are still very low. National data shows that only one-third of the population has access to an improved source of drinking water and to improved sanitation facilities.

However, pro-active institutional reform of the water supply sector initiated in 1999, ongoing to date, is enabling the country to gradually get the sector back on track.  The sector’s policy and regulatory framework is now being developed. Although still incomplete, particularly for sanitation, this framework has greatly improved over the last few years. In 2006 Togo put in place a national policy for water supply and sanitation in rural and semi-rural areas. In addition, there is a complementary integrated water resources management policy and strategy.