Problem of land use and water supply in urban area: the case of the city of Touba, Senegal

Papa Demba Camara (1)

1 CEME - Centre d'Etudes des Mutations en Europe

This study focuses on the relation between land use and water supply. It results from direct observations coupled by semi-structured interviews with local actors. In urban areas of Senegal, water is drawn from two sources, from the drinking water network and from traditional wells. Our study focuses on the city of Touba, a city which is singled out by its recent character (new city) and by her religious inclination (religious city). The naturals conditions are unfavorable: low rainfall, depth of the groundwater with wells brought up rates in salt and fluorine. Two types of land use have been identified in the city: a traditional occupation and modern occupation. They have real consequences on water supply. A city of 700000 inhabitants, Touba hosts two millions pilgrims every year. Water quality and the quantity have always been the main problem for the people and pilgrims. The first consequence of water lack is unhealthy. Water-borne diseases caused by pathogen agents appear in this city so endemic.

Mots clés: lack; pathogens; quality; water borne disease; water supply; well

Domaines: Environnement et Société

Papa Demba Camara. Problem of land use and water supply in urban area: the case of the city of Touba, Senegal. 8th World Wide Workshop for Young Environmental Scientists WWW-YES-2008: Urban waters: resource or risks?, May 2008, Créteil, France. ⟨hal-00593639⟩