An Introduction: Water and Sanitation in Africa

Safe drinking water is inaccessible to 1 in 3 people across the globe

2.2 billion people don't have access to safely managed drinking water facilities 

We take for granted that the water we receive out of our taps is safe to drink. However, this isn’t the case for a large proportion of Africa where access to safe drinking water is negligent or unimproved. Although there have been efforts to increase safe drinking water within the African continent the progress seems to be slow and therefore this blog will aim to raise awareness of the issues involving access to safe drinking water from a sanitation perspective and shed light on the importance of educating people on the issues of water and sanitation.

First, we must analyse the dire consequences of what the lack of sanitation can lead to including but not limited to - diarrhoea, cholera and death. Below in figure 1, the largest share of deaths from unsafe water resources originate largely in the continent of Africa, specifically Sub-Saharan Africa. This map shows the reality of the situation of unsanitary water in Africa and highlights that action is required immediately. 

Figure 1: A world map showing the share of deaths from unsafe water resources 

Why do people lack access to safe drinking water?

• Inaccessibility to water sources 

• Governments and policies 

• Lack of infrastructures

• Failure of sufficient management of water infrastructures

• Climate change exacerbates the above factors where those at the bottom are most affected

The population of Africa is projected to grow by 154% (that's a huge number!) between 2000 and 2050 so sanitation reforms need to be taken seriously. Given that the demand for water increases with population growth and economic development in Africa, the provision of and effective use of sanitation infrastructures should become a priority for policymakers. A good start is noting that effective sanitation comes from infrastructure that is accessible, fast, and easy to use. 

SDG 6: by 2030, achieve universal, equitable access to safe water (6.1) and sanitation (6.2) for all 

Although there have been improvements in sanitation levels in Africa, it seems that the progress is slow. In efforts to achieve sustainable development goal 6, there needs to be an increase in understanding of risks involved with on-site sanitation systems. The next blog post will focus on the efforts and challenges of sanitation facilities in Kampala, Uganda, as an example of there not being enough to reach SDG 6. 

The area of Kampala, capital of Uganda

Kampala's location in relation to Uganda

Another study researched by an African writer Nayebare et al highlights that on-site facilities are often inadequate and unimproved and when coupled with topographic features like low-lying areas, which are prone to flooding, it can be a serious concern for contamination of water resources. As shown in figure 2, the location of Lukaya Town is low-lying with contour lines being 1190masl. Extra efforts should be directed towards low-lying areas as contamination is more likely and to prevent further disease and deaths. Through this mini example of Lukaya Town and the low-lying topography, it is important to note that contextualising a study area is important. The situation or solution in one area of Africa may be different to other areas so we should not generalise. 

Figure 2: Location of Lukaya Town and map of Lukaya Town based on Google OpenStreetMap showing topographic contours

Area of Lukaya, a town in Uganda

Lukaya Town (shown by red dart) in comparison with Kampala

Figure 3: A map showing the share of the population without access to an improved water source across the world. 

This leads us to figure 3, which presents the share of the population without access to an improved water source. The largest percentages where the share of the population without an improved water resource appears to be located in Africa, showing that we should aim to focus on improving and monitoring sanitation services there. Although a large percentage of other countries across the globe have unimproved water sources notably, Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan, the continent of Africa has the largest proportion with an unimproved water source. This map follows similar trends to figure 1 showing that populations, where there is no or little access to an improved water source, is linked to disease and deaths associated with unsanitary water.

Thank you for reading my introduction to my blog on assessing water and sanitation in Africa and I look forward to seeing you next time.