About us
The public drinking water operator for Mauritania’s urban centres since 2001: our mission, our history and our commitments.
Overview
A public company dedicated to drinking water
Société Nationale d’Eau (SNDE) is responsible for producing, transporting, distributing and selling drinking water in the country’s urban and peri-urban centres, including the capital, Nouakchott.
It operates under the supervision of the ministry responsible for water and sanitation. Other public bodies serve rural and semi-urban areas, and a regulatory authority oversees delegated services.
Our four core activities
Produce
Draw water from the Senegal River and from groundwater, then treat it to make it safe to drink.
Transport
Carry treated water to the cities through pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs.
Distribute
Serve subscribers, public standpipes and public services through urban networks.
Sell
Manage subscriptions, metering, billing and customer relations.
History
Key dates
SNDE’s key milestones, from SONELEC to river water reaching Nouakchott.
1975
SONELEC is created
The national water and electricity company handles both water and electricity supply.
2001
SNDE is born
Decree No. 2001-088 of 29 July 2001 splits SONELEC into two companies: SNDE for water and SOMELEC for electricity.
2007 – 2010
Building Aftout Es-Saheli
Construction of the Senegal River intake, the treatment plant and the transfer pipeline to Nouakchott.
2010
River water reaches Nouakchott
The Aftout Es-Saheli system enters service at the end of 2010.
2012
Dhar project financing
Financing approved to supply Néma and other Hodh Ech Chargui localities from the Dhar aquifer.
Vision and values
What guides our work
Accessible, quality drinking water, managed sustainably, for everyone living in the cities we serve.
Our vision: every household in the centres we serve has access to safe drinking water in sufficient quantity, with a reliable and attentive service.
Public service
Water is essential. We serve every user fairly.
Quality
We monitor the water we supply and improve our facilities.
Transparency
We inform people about works, interruptions and our activities.
Listening
We handle requests and complaints with care.
Sustainability
We protect a scarce resource and reduce losses.
Our public-service commitments
- Give advance notice of planned works that affect supply.
- Publish interruption and restoration notices on this website.
- Stay reachable through a free toll-free number.
- Explain procedures, bills and tariffs clearly.
- Record every complaint and follow it up.
Organisation
Organisation and leadership
This section will present SNDE’s governance based on official information.
Executive management
Names and roles of senior officials, as officially published.
Organisation chart
Central departments, services and reporting lines.
Regional offices and centres
List of centres operated and their customer offices.
Infrastructure
Major water infrastructure
The main schemes that supply the cities served.
Aftout Es-Saheli
Senegal River → Nouakchott
River intake in the Aftout area, treatment plant, pumping stations and a pipeline of about 200 km to the capital. In service since the end of 2010.
Idini wellfield
Trarza, ≈ 60 km south-east of Nouakchott
Boreholes in the Continental Terminal aquifer. Nouakchott’s main water source before river water arrived.
Dhar project
Hodh Ech Chargui
Water supply from the Dhar aquifer to Néma and other localities in the region. Financing approved in 2012; current progress to be confirmed.
Need help?
Customer service can answer your questions about your subscription, your bills and water supply.