Clean Water for Bertoua

DHV Group
The climate of East-Cameroon is of the so-called Guinea type, characterized by heavy rainfall (1500 –
2000 mm per year) particularly during the two rainy seasons (March-June and August-November). The
temperature is rather stable throughout the year, fluctuating by not more than 2.4C from the annual
average of 25C.
The Bertoua area comprises 11 perennial and 35 intermittent streams.
2.2 Water supply background in Bertoua Region
The existing water supply infrastructure for the town of Bertoua dates back to the time that the number of
inhabitants was around 25,000. Funds for extension of the water distribution system are reported to be
lacking. As a result of this, people in new town extensions would have to rely on contaminated water for
household water supply, and might have to walk for kilometres to reach a water source. Town quarters
that are covered by the water distribution system were reported to often face a shortage of water as a
result of the poor state of maintenance of the system.
“Bertoua – Ville Emergente” [7] mentions that the number of inhabitants is over 250,000. The water
supply system, dating back to 1974 and reportedly designed for 50,000 people, is currently
operated by the local branch of La Camerounaise des Eaux (CDE). The CDE is a “société fermière”
established at Douala, and a daughter company of ONEP (Office National d’Eau Potable, a private
company established at Morocco) 2 . Before 2005 the company was state-owned. Reportedly, the
transition from state-owned to privately owned did not help in any way: proper maintenance has not
been carried out in either case.
From an interview conducted with a representative of the water supply company it transpired that
water is abstracted from the river, and discharged into a reservoir, where chemicals (‘carbonate’)
are added. Subsequently the water passes through rapid sand filters (pressure filters) and is
chlorinated for disinfection. There is a water tower in the system, but the single pump available is
not able to provide the necessary head for the water to reach the level of the water tower.
Moreover, because no spare pump is available, any problem with this pump renders the entire
water supply system non-operational.
Rapid sand filters of water company
2
It is not clear what relation – if any – exists between CDE/ONEP and CAMWATER (Cameroon Water Utilities
Corporation), a public administrative undertaking created by presidential decree No. 2005/494 of 21 December 2005,
and charged with public water supply in urban and peri-urban areas of Cameroon.
Rotary / Inbo / Cordaid/Clean Water for Bertoua, Cameroon November 2010, version 5
- 7 -