African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

Meeting the Basic Water Needs - MauritiusActual and total water supply coverage (urban, rural disparities)To date, water supply coverage is 54% of the total population in the urban areas. Both surface and groundwatersources are being exploited to cater for demand in urban and rural areas.Actual and total sanitation coverage (urban, rural disparities)Both the urban and the rural people have access to proper sanitation facilities, either through connection tothe sewer network (21% - 2004 figures), septic tanks or absorption pits. The 21% served by the under sewernetwork are mostly in the urban areas. However, the Wastewater Management Authority is planning to improveconnection to 50% by the year 2010.Percentage or number of people not served with improved drinking water and extension ofpiped water supplyA total of 85% of the people have access to piped supply within their housing premises, the remaining 15% getthe water either from public fountains and water tankers operated by the Central Water Authority. The breakdownis as follows:In yard 14.5%Public fountain & Water tanker 0.5%WATER FOR MEETING BASIC NEEDSProportion of urban population with access to improved water supply and sanitationImproved water supply: Urban 100%Rural 85%Improved Sanitation: Urban 100%Rural 100%Basic water needs in BotswanaBasic water needs are being met through two interrelated policies. Firstly, reticulated water supply systems areconstructed, maintained and, where necessary, upgraded in all settlements with more than 250 inhabitants. Thenorm is that all persons should have access to a water point within 500 meters form their home. Secondly, watertariffs are set in such a way that basic water needs are affordable. For this reason, water from standpipes in ruralvillages is free, and in urban areas there is a nominal monthly fee that also includes other services. In addition,water charges for the lifeline band (up to 5 m 3 ) are low and sub-economic (through cross subsidization by largeusers, including government).A comparison of the Population Census of 1991 and 2001 shows that the percentage of households with accessto piped or tap drinking water increased significantly during the last decades: 1981: 56%; 1991: 77% and 200187.7% (Kelekwang and Gowera, 2003). The 2001 figures are as follows:(a) Urban areas: 99.5% with access to safe piped and tap water;(b) Large rural villages: 96.7% access with access to such water;(c) Rural villages: 73.3% access.Households without piped or tap water mostly rely on boreholes (5.1%), wells (1.8%), tankers (0.8%) or otherwater points (4.5%) (ibid). Boreholes, in particular, are considered safe and reliable water sources.117