2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

CAMEROON PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Cameroon
Economics (2003)
GDP per capita US$630
GDP per capita (PPP) US$2,000
GDP in Agriculture 44%
GDP in Industry 17%
GDP in Services 39%
Water provision
In 2003, 44% of the total population was served with piped water. Water deliveries for domestic
usage are running at 200 million m 3 per annum, with the aim of increasing this to 300million m 3 per
annum by 2010 and 400 million m 3 per annum by 2020. Approximately 75% of the rural population
and 30% of the urban population still lack potable water.
Population
2003 (million) 16.1
2015 (million) 19.7
Urbanisation in 2003 51%
Urbanisation by 2015 60%
In urban agglomerations, 2000 22%
Services in Yaoundé
Yaounde’s SNEC has had trouble breaking even on a 2002-03 turnover of FCFA20 billion (US$40
million), down from FCFA23billion in 2001-02. Currently, SNEC has 194,000 subscribers, serving 4
million people and needs FCFA11 billion in new capital, along with seeking to recover FCFA8 billion
owed by the state. It is 94% owned by the state, with 6% held by private investors. In 1993, 85% of
the population of Yaoundé had access to potable water, along with 3% having sewerage. A similar
level of service is found in Douala, the second city. In 1999, water was rationed in Yaoundé because
of problems at a treatment plant. Yaoundé has been divided into three sectors; each receiving water
only three times a week due to a leaking pipeline at a WTW 50km south of Yaoundé, which SNEC
does not have the capacity to repair. In 2004, there were 500 cases of cholera and 13 fatalities in
Douala due to people drinking from unprotected wells.
Urban data
Served by piped water 78%
Access to sewerage 64%
Freshwater
Annual availability (1998) 268.0km 3
Per capita 18,737m 3
Annual withdrawal (1990) 0.4km 3
Domestic 46%
Industrial 19%
Agriculture 35%
Privatisation of SNEC…for a while
Suez was awarded the 20 year water supply concession for Société National des Eaux de Cameroon
(SNEC) in May 2000. This involves €300 million capex on network rehabilitation and extension and
the fitting of water meters. SNEC supplies water to over 103 towns and cities including Douala &
Yaoundé. Implementing privatisation has been slow. As a result, the government is planning to
decentralise the daily management of water from SNEC to local governments. In September 2004,
Suez announced that this concession was being revoked. The government has subsequently
announced that it is seeking a new contract for managing SNEC, probably through a lease.
67 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006