By Daniel Itai
Several African countries are still grappling with providing residents clean and adequate water, particularly due to poor infrastructural development.
According to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), some countries have only around nine percent urban access to safely managed piped water.
“Water is life. It’s vital for everything that we do, which means that difficulty accessing adequate water supplies has a cost that is borne by all levels of society. It particularly impacts women and girls, who are often responsible for fetching and carrying water, as well as performing household chores that require water, such as washing clothes. This leaves them with less time for other activities like education and jobs.
Moreover, it affects business owners who rely on water to sustain their businesses, ultimately affecting their livelihoods. It also has environmental consequences, as people resort to consuming safe drinking water through bottled sources, contributing to the global problem of plastic waste.
Additionally, it adversely impacts health,
placing more pressure on doctors and nurses treating waterborne diseases and associated health issues that could be prevented with access to clean water,” said UNOPS’ Joseph Nyaga, a civil engineer,
and Phostine Wekesa, an associate civil engineer.
In addition, the engineers mentioned that rapid population growth, particularly in urban informal settlements, puts additional strain on already struggling water resources and infrastructure.
However, the engineers also believe that the potential for public-private partnerships remains untapped, which could help solve
the water crisis.
“Strong government institutions, policies, laws, and clear processes for overseeing and regulating the provision of services, such as water, will ensure better planning and management. This can help governments attract private sector investment for infrastructure projects related to these services and foster innovation.
As the populations of cities and urban areas across Africa continue to grow rapidly in the coming decades, the need for sufficient and safe water resources will only intensify. Ensuring an adequate water supply will be vital for development, both now and in the future,” stated the engineers.
