TOGO: Non-Revenue Water

Togo faces major development challenges as it emerges from years of isolation. With 51 percent of its 7.3 million people lacking access to water—despite abundant resources—the urban and semi-urban subsectors remain underserved. In Lomé, intermittent supply stems from a large gap between capacity and demand, plus network leaks. High non-revenue water (NRW), assessed at 36 percent in 2017, is a critical issue. To help address this, PPIAF supported the water utility, Togolaise des Eaux (TdE), to improve efficiency and reduce NRW by defining an operational improvement strategy, assessing private sector participation options, and filling knowledge gaps to enable future NRW interventions. Deliverables included assessing TdE's performance needs, an NRW diagnostic to pre-identify a reduction program, reform options, a PSP terms sheet, and market sounding. Recommended measures for encouraging private sector participation and improving regulations are now included in an IDA-funded project. Following World Bank recommendations, TdE will implement a performance-based NRW reduction contract. By supporting critical diagnostics and assessments, the PPIAF activity laid the groundwork for TdE to advance major operational reforms and efficiency improvements. This will help strengthen Togo's urban water services and expand reliable supply to underserved populations.