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Rethinking Water Management in African Cities

Michael Webster, World Bank

Africa Urban Infrastructure Summit, Cape Town, April 22, 2013

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Africa’s looming water crisis

In the next 20 years, African cities will double,and water demand will triple;

whereas, water supply is shrinking

Our current approach is not workingWe need to think more creatively and

pragmatically about future options

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Research project in 31 large African cities

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Urban population will double in the next 20 years (3.9% per year)

1990 2010 2030 20500

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

28%37%

48%

60% Rural PopUrban Pop% Ur-ban

Popu

latio

n (M

)

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With some of the highest rates of urban growth in the world

Luan

da

Cotonou

Ouagad

ougou

Douala

Lubumbash

i

Kumasi

Conakry

Nairobi

Blantyr

eAbuja

Kano

Dakar

Johannesb

urg

Durban

Al-Khart

um (Khart

oum)

Dar es

Salaa

m

Kampala

Lusak

a

Harare

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9Annual Rate of Growth (2005-2010)

Doubling times, yrs

35 yrs

24 yrs18 yrs

7 yrs

With still most urban population in secondary cities

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Urbanization brings growth…

Economic footprint of urban areasSource: World Development Report, 2009

1970

2009

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Urbanization happens early…

Much of urbanization happens before countries get to $5,000 per capita

Source: WDR 2009

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But faster urban growth has also meant faster growth of slums (1990-2001)

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Water demand will more than triple in 25 years – twice any other region (2005-2030)

Source: McKinsey, 2011

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And African countries face a

dramatic decrease in

water availability per capita over the next 20 years

• cuc

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But we currently use 19th century principles of water management

• Urban form created with little input from water professionals – we just plumb it up later !

• Stormwater and wastewater treated as waste

• Institutional landscape not conducive for holistic approach

• Regulations are inflexible - can’t deal well with resource efficiency….

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And business as usual is not working…

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Intermittent & Irregular

Supply

Water Scarcity

Fast Growing Cities

Irregular Energy Supply

Highly Polluted Water Bodies

Lack of Wastewater

Collection and Treatment

Poor Solid Waste

Management

High Levels of Leakage

Low Pressure

We need to think about the entire water cycle as one system

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Future water sources in Nairobi

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Think creatively about water sourcesE.g. Windhoek, Durban, Singapore reuse wastewater

66%8%

20% 6% Surface Water

Ground Water

New Goreangab water Reclama-tion Plant (NGWRP)

Old Goreangab water Reclamation Plant (OGWRP)

Windhoek water sources

Fresh Water Supply

Waste Water

Small Water Consuming

Industry

Fresh Water Source

Waste Water from Durban City

Reuse of Water

[Reduction in Wastewater discharge @10%]

[7% (47.50 Ml/d) of City’s Current Demand ]

eThekwini Water Services: Build on PPP Concept

Durban reuses 10% for industry

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Arua (Uganda): Can decentralized solutions postpone a very large infrastructure project?

Source: ian.umces.edu

Provided effective watershed management in place

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Mbale (Uganda): A window of opportunity for adaptive solutions

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IUWM challenges and capacity

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Water operators and municipalities want integrated plans

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Drought plans

Flood plans Rainwater harvesting

Solid waste Future population

Informal settlements

Water operators : issues included in current plan

Yes No I don't know

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Drought plans

Flood plans Rainwater harvesting

Solid waste Future population

Informal settlements

Municipalities : issues included in current plan

Yes No I don't know

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Drought plans

Flood plans Rainwater harvesting

Solid waste Future population

Informal settlements

Water operators : issues that should be included in future plans

Agree Disagree I don't know

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Drought plans

Flood plans Rainwater harvesting

Solid waste Future population

Informal settlements

Municipalities : issues that should be included in future plans

Agree Disagree I don't know

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Conclusion

• IUWM is still an emerging approach• Lots of application for upstream planning• Pilots are needed to demonstrate value• More work is needed on the financial

and institutional issues• Lots of interest from Central and Local

Governments

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http://water.worldbank.org/node/84190

Thank you!