OUAGADOUGOU – In a coordinated effort to prevent seasonal flooding, Ouagadougou has launched multiple sanitation operations across various districts, targeting the clean-up of unsanitary spaces and enhancing the city’s water drainage systems.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the activities commenced on Sunday with the special delegation from District 10 and citizen monitoring committees conducting a significant clean-up at the Eastern Interchange. This involved clearing waste to improve water flow, an essential move to prevent the recurrent flooding in the area. Simultaneously, residents of District 4 united to clean gutters, which are vital in controlling the flow of rainwater, a frequent cause of flooding in the city.

Earlier in the week, the municipal technical services collaborated with local residents to use heavy machinery such as excavators, dump trucks, and loaders to remove garbage from the Sougr-Nooma livestock market in Tanghin and its vicinity. This initiative is part of a broader sanitation campaign that began on August 19, spearheaded by the public sanitation and hygiene department in partnership with the Nakambé Water Agency.

The city’s efforts to upgrade its sanitation infrastructure were bolstered on August 13 when it received new equipment, including two dump trucks and a loading shovel. This equipment supports the ongoing project to enhance Ouagadougou’s rainwater sanitation network, aiming to mitigate the risks associated with the city’s minimal elevation and poorly maintained drainage channels.

Ouagadougou, historically prone to severe flooding events such as the devastating floods on September 1, 2009, which claimed 46 lives and affected nearly 200,000 people, is taking proactive measures to avert similar disasters.