Senegal launches new water forages in Touba ahead of Grand Magal

The Senegalese Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, inaugurated three new boreholes in the Touba Mosquée commune—Ndindy, Guédé and Darou Khoudoss. The combined capacity of the forages is 690 m³/h, intended to improve the supply of drinking water for more than 637 000 residents and to meet the needs of up to 1.3 million people by 2050. The works are part of the second phase of the Rural Drinking‑Water Supply Project, a Sino‑Senegal cooperation financed by Eximbank China (around 55 billion FCFA) that will eventually deliver over 100 boreholes, water towers and distribution networks nationwide.

In preparation for the Grand Magal pilgrimage in August 2026, the Office des Forages Ruraux (OFOR) deployed fifty 10‑m³ water‑tank trucks and announced additional forages and water‑tank installations to ensure adequate reserves for the influx of pilgrims. The government urges residents to store water ahead of the event and will mobilise repair crews to limit leaks in the network.

These initiatives align with President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye’s Vision Senegal 2050, aiming for durable, equitable access to potable water across the country.