**3. Interventions on the water challenges**

Despite the water problems facing urban populations, Senegal has sufficient water resources to meet demand if available resources are properly managed [6]. Senegal's internal renewable surface water resources are estimated at 23.8 km3 /year and renewable groundwater resources are in the order of 3.5 km3 /year. The common part between surface water and groundwater is estimated at 1.5 km3 /year and internal renewable water resources estimated at 25.8 km3 /year [26]. The diversity of water resources offers opportunities for exploitation ranging from surface water abstraction to the use of boreholes in areas with limited surface water resources [10].

## **3.1 Implementation of relevant policies**

Like many other countries, Senegal has adopted several policies at the national and regional levels to guide the conservation and management of its water resources. It has put in place crucial reforms in the water sector which have led to the promulgation of certain regulatory texts and conventions, such as Law 81-13 of 4 March 1981 on the Water Code creation of various associations of water resource users [3]. Thus, in 1995, the public authorities give a very marked inflection to the organization of the sector, as well in urban as rural. Indeed, a reform of the urban water subsector was initiated through the Water Sector Project, which led to the separation of drinking water from sanitation. This reform embodied by Law No. 95-10 of 7 April 1995 resulted in the creation of two different entities that are responsible for the management of the sub-sector of urban water: the National Water Company of Senegal (SONES), a heritage company, and Senegalese Waters (SW), operating company, private operator [6, 27].
