Sustainable water resources management, future demands and adaptation strategies in Sudan

For the thirty-nine million, who live in Sudan, environmental pollution is a major concern; therefore industry, communities, local authorities and central government, to deal with pollution issues, should adopt an integrated approach. Most polluters pay little or no attention to the control and proper management of polluting effluents. This may be due to the lack of enforceable legislation and/or fear of spending money on treatment of the effluent prior to discharge. Furthermore, the imposed fines are generally low and therefore do not deter potential offenders. The present problems that are related to water and sanitation in Sudan are many and varied, and the disparity between water supply and demand is growing with time due to the rapid population growth and aridity. The situation of the sewerage system in the cities is extremely critical, and there are no sewerage systems in the rural areas. There is an urgent need for substantial improvements and extensions to the sewerage systems treatment plants. The further development of water resources for agriculture and domestic use is one of the priorities to improve the agricultural yield of the country, and to meet the domestic and industrial demands for water. This article discusses the overall problem and identifies possible solutions.