Strategies and techniques of providing adequate and affordable potable water in rural areas of Nigeria

Abstract

Water is next to air in importance. The World Bank declared water as an economic good while endorsing the international demand for water supply. Human health depends on having access to safe, adequate and reliable water supply. In Africa, and of course in Nigeria, one half of the entire continent's people (particularly in rural areas/communities), suffer from one or more of the six main diseases associated with poor or polluted water. Statistics show that Africa has the highest occurrence of cholera and typhoid epidemics as well as child diarrhea. Of the 46 countries in which schistosomiasis are endemic, 40 are in Africa, of the 19 countries reporting guinea worm, 16 are in Africa. In September 2000, 147 heads of state and governments, and 189 nations in total, committed themselves to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One of the targets defined for achieving the MDGs is to "halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation". This paper constitutes a source of information for water and sanitation coverage estimates in southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria. It provides information of the current status of water supply and sanitation in the zone. The paper attempts to look into the appropriateness of the use of the technology of integrated mini water scheme and infiltration gallery as a means of providing safe and adequate domestic water to rural community people to serve as the best preventive medicine against the prevalent water diseases.

Flood risk management in Nigeria: a review of the challenges and opportunities

“…Ironically, residents of many Nigerian communities ravaged by flooding also lack access to potable water. For instance Adesogan [26] reported poor water supply coverage for nearly 22% across the South West region of Nigeria while Oke et al [27] noted there is a challenge of water sourcing within a major portion of this region. An integrated solution may be a rainwater harvesting system designed to meet water supply needs and also serving as an FRM scheme.…”

“…With the absence of reliable potable water network [26], majority of Nigerian houses depend on shallow wells and streams, mostly located close to faecal pit latrines and sewage soak away pits, for water supply. The water supply system thus has become easily and readily contaminated during flood events leading to further health and water supply issues.…”