In the commune of Malicounda Nord, the water supply situation is becoming increasingly alarming, bordering on a humanitarian crisis. According to a memorandum from the "Andeu Deffar Malicounda" collective, the only borehole in the area, formerly managed by ASIFOR and now under the responsibility of the Aquatech company, has been out of service for several months. This major technical failure has plunged thousands of residents into utter despair, depriving them of a vital daily resource.

According to a report received by our newsroom, the taps remain desperately dry most of the time. On the rare occasions when the precious liquid finally flows, it is in paltry quantities and of a quality strongly criticized by users. They describe a salty and bitter taste, raising serious concerns about the health risks faced by local populations. To cope with this shortage, many families are forced to travel long distances to collect water from wells, while those who can afford it turn to private suppliers of filtered water, an unbearable additional expense in the context of a high cost of living.

The management of the Aquatech company is currently at the heart of a heated controversy. The collective is pointing the finger at what it calls the "flawed management" of water in rural areas and denouncing a blatant lack of transparency in the awarding of the well management contract. Faced with what they consider an injustice, the collective's president, Aliou Faye, and its secretary, Ibrahima Sarr, are sounding the alarm, describing the situation as untenable and demanding urgent government intervention.

The residents of Malicounda are no longer content with simply demanding water; they are now calling for the immediate departure of the Aquatech company. They are directly appealing to the mayor of the town, Maguette Sène, to find a lasting solution to restore the dignity of the residents. Despite our repeated attempts to obtain the mayor's side of the story, Maguette Sène remained unavailable as of press time.