Senegalaise des Eaux Rurales (SDER) and Office des Forages Ruraux (OFOR) signed two contracts for Public Service Delegations (DSP) in the northern zone of the Louga and Saint Louis/Matam regions. It was on Monday 08 July 2019 at the Ministerial level in Diamniadio under the chairmanship of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Serigne Mbaye THIAM, the Chairmen of the Board of Directors (BODs), the General Managers (MDs) of OFOR and SDER as well as many guests.

This Contract, signed for a period of ten years, allows SDER to take charge of the management and operation of drinking water in rural areas of the North zone, which includes the Louga, Saint Louis and Matam regions. In his speech, the MD of SDER, Mor DIOP stated that "The rural world will benefit from better access to water thanks to the installation of a hydraulic network that meets acceptable quality standards".

He also indicated that the same services offered to cities in terms of drinking water distribution will be made available to the rural world so that the populations of these areas can have sufficient and better quality water, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). In turn, the MD of OFOR, Seyni NDAO, stated that "the signing of this contract is the result of a competitive and transparent process by operators responsible for distributing water to the rural world". To him, "the involvement of the private sector in the management of public water works will lead to professional water management in rural areas and help to ensure better conditions for the supply of water to populations".

As for the two BODs chairmen from OFOR, Paul SENE and SDER Abdoul BALL, they welcomed this signing of the Contract and promised to do everything possible to ensure that the delegations of the Northern zone are references in the sector. The Minister of Water and Sanitation Serigne Mbaye THIAM revealed that "SDER is now in charge of providing water services for nearly 1,500,000 people, which does not take into account pastoral and agricultural uses". He also stated that "the Government’s option is to involve the private sector in the management of water works to improve effectiveness and efficiency".

This Contract, as a reminder, was signed as part of the reform of rural water supply following a call for tenders aimed at improving the quality of service and better meeting the expectations of the Senegalese population and authorities. La Senegalaise des Eaux Rurales, which is a subsidiary of SDE, will operate the largest part of the DRAO Public Service Delegations with 544 works spread over 93 municipalities and more than 2000 polarized villages