Public utility shortages affect Congo and Guinea

In the Republic of the Congo, residents in Madingou and Brazzaville are facing significant disruptions to essential services. In Madingou, the capital of the Bouenza department, an aging distribution network and a growing population have led to irregular water supplies. This has forced many of the city’s 81,000 residents to rely on wells, which are increasingly drying up due to high demand. Additionally, the country is experiencing an electricity deficit exceeding 130 megawatts, caused by equipment failure, maintenance, and low water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs.

In Guinea, utility challenges are also prevalent. In Conakry, the Director General of Électricité de Guinée (EDG) attributed frequent power outages to low rainfall affecting hydroelectric dams and the use of aging transmission lines dating back to 1952. Meanwhile, in the locality of Soulinfily within the Télimélé prefecture, residents are suffering from a long-term lack of potable water. Following the failure of a local borehole, community members have been forced to collect water from rivers and streams, prompting calls for urgent rehabilitation from local authorities and humanitarian organizations.