WHY RE-DEMARCATING THE WESTERN AREA THREATENS FREETOWN’S WATER FUTURE. REDRAWING THE LINES, DRYING THE TAPS?

The recent proposal to re-demarcate the Western Area Peninsula National Park (WAPNP) is more than a technical adjustment of boundaries. It is a decision that risks dismantling the very foundation of Sierra Leone’s water security, environmental sustainability, and public health. 

As WASHNet, we stand firmly with the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation (MoWRS) and the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) in opposing this move. Our years of advocacy, research, and field engagement in watershed management have shown, time and again, that once critical water catchments are compromised, the consequences ripple far beyond forests and streams—they reach directly into the homes and lives of millions. 

Watershed Management Under Siege 

The Western Area Peninsula is Sierra Leone’s natural water tower. It feeds Guma Dam, Kongo Dam, Sugar Loaf, and other catchments that supply raw water to over one million people in Freetown and its environs. The proposed re-demarcation would reduce the park by 5,000 hectares, representing a 28.9% loss of forest cover; from 17,185 to 12,218 hectares. 

This loss will not only undermine watershed recharge but also accelerate the degradation already caused by rapid urbanization, unregulated housing, and land grabbing. Without a healthy forest buffer, rainfall will run off faster, reducing infiltration and groundwater recharge, while sediment and pollutants choke reservoirs and water treatment systems. 

It is important to note that significant investments have been made over the years by government, civil society, and development partners to protect these watersheds. From catchment restoration projects to climate adaptation initiatives and community-led forest protection, these efforts have required scarce resources and decades of work. If the proposed re-demarcation goes ahead, much of this investment will be eroded, wasting time, money, and the trust of communities that have participated in safeguarding these areas. 

Evidence from the 2022 WASH NORM Survey 

The 2022 WASH NORM Survey provides a sobering backdrop. Only 23% of Sierra Leone’s population has access to safely managed water services, while 44%t rely on basic services and nearly one-third depend on unimproved or unsafe sources. In urban Freetown, pressure on existing water systems is already overwhelming: households report irregular water supply, high dependence on unsafe wells, and long queues at standpipes. 

Reducing the WAPNP’s protective forest cover will only deepen this crisis, jeopardizing the government’s commitments to Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation. It is unthinkable that while the country is struggling to meet even minimum WASH standards, policymakers would endorse actions that will worsen the situation. 

The Looming Public Health Disaster 

When water security falters, health outcomes deteriorate. Already, waterborne diseases remain among the leading causes of child mortality in Sierra Leone. A weakened water system will increase exposure to unsafe drinking water, heighten risks of cholera outbreaks, and place unbearable strain on health facilities. 

Floods and landslides, such as those tragically witnessed in 2017, will become more frequent and more deadly. Stripped of forest cover, hillsides above Freetown will no longer hold back torrential rains, endangering lives and property in Allen Town, Waterloo, and beyond. 

The Fiscal Burden of New Districts 

Beyond the environmental and public health threats, the creation of new districts resulting from the re-demarcation will place immense pressure on Sierra Leone’s already strained public finances. New districts require new administrative structures, offices, staff, logistics, and financial allocations to become operational. 

For us at WASHNet, this proposal is especially troubling when viewed against the current fiscal environment: less than 20% of the national budget is financed by the government’s own revenues, while the overwhelming bulk comes from external donors. Of this limited fiscal space, at least 51% is consumed by a bloated wage bill and 31% goes into servicing foreign and domestic debt. This leaves a mere 18% to respond to the country’s many systemic challenges; from health to education to water access. 

When Sierra Leone is still struggling to meet the unmet need for safe drinking water and improved sanitation, and when millions remain excluded from reliable health services, diverting scarce resources into new administrative entities is untimely and unwise. Instead, efforts should focus on strengthening existing districts, improving service delivery, and safeguarding water resources that are already under threat. 

Escalating Water Supply Disruptions 

Between May and September 2025 alone, Freetown has recorded at least five major water supply shutdowns, largely due to how Guma’s pipelines have been compromised by unregulated settlements and weak enforcement of existing laws. These repeated interruptions demonstrate how fragile the current system already is. If additional encroachment is legitimized through re-demarcation, such shutdowns will become even more frequent, leaving entire neighborhoods dry and further undermining public confidence in water governance. 

The Cost of Inaction – If we don’t rethink that decision now! 

If this re-demarcation proceeds, the country, but most importantly, its people will pay dearly: 

• Over one million people in Freetown will see their water supply compromised. 

• Billions of Leones in investments already made to keep existing systems operational and optimal may be rendered ineffective. 

• Years of investment in catchment protection and restoration will be undone. 

• Additional financial strain will be imposed by the cost of operationalizing new districts. 

• Increasing shutdowns will further erode service reliability and disrupt lives and businesses while for the most part, widening public mistrust in their own service delivery and governance institutions. 

• Ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, flood regulation, biodiversity protection will be irreversibly diminished. 

• Communities will shoulder the health, economic, and environmental costs for generations. 

Simply put, the price of inaction is far higher than the political or financial benefits of carving out land for settlement or speculative development. 

Citizens’ Right to Contribute to these decisions 

Should citizens have a say in decisions that directly affect their survival? Absolutely. Water is life, and the stewardship of our forests is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Communities, civil society, and everyday citizens should not be forced to accept policies that compromise their health, safety, and dignity. Transparent dialogue and inclusive decision-making are the only legitimate paths forward. As President Julius Maada Bio has said:

“Protecting our water sources is not an option, it is a national duty, because water security is central to the health, safety, and prosperity of our people.”

A statement he made in 2022 where he declared catchment protection as an emergency.

These words carry more weight than ever in the face of this proposed re-demarcation. 

Our Simple Bur Urgent Call to Action 

We urge government, policymakers, and all stakeholders to reconsider this dangerous proposal. Instead of shrinking protected areas, Sierra Leone should invest in restoring degraded catchments, enforcing protection laws, and creating alternative livelihood opportunities that reduce pressure on forests. 

Protecting the Western Area Peninsula is not just about trees. It is about the survival of Freetown, the resilience of its people, and the future of Sierra Leone. 

In his words, WASHNet’s Team Lead emphasized. “Let us act decisively, because once the forests are gone, and the water dries up, no amount of regret will bring them back.” Musa Ansumana Soko