Abstract In 2008, the G. Tovini Foundation (Brescia,
Italy), together with the Universities of Brescia (Italy) and
Dakar (Senegal), started a cooperation project (23PA07a)
in the rural community of Patar (Senegal). The aim of the
project was to improve the living conditions of the village
people by controlling the quality of drinking water. Therefore,
a “multiple barrier approach”, based on risk prevention,
risk management, monitoring and compliance for insuring
a safe drinking water supply, was applied including
water treatment at household level and the assessment of the
chemical-microbial risk. Water treatment was applied in order
to reduce fluoride concentration in groundwater. Risk assessment
was done throughout the chain from the catchment
to the consumer so as to initiate appropriate remedial and
preventive actions.Water was sampled from different points
all along the supply system in order to verify the evolution
of water quality and to identify the sources of pollution. Fluorides
and microorganisms exceeded the World Health Organisation
Guide Values, thus representing a serious health
problem. In addition, while fluorides are naturally present in
groundwater, microbiological contamination is mainly due
to human habits (lack of hygiene) and therefore it increased
during water transport and domestic storage.