Water supply, sanitation and health risk in a tropical sub-saharan region

Abstract

Water is a very important abiotic component of the environment. It is difficult to imagine a clean and sanitary environment without water. Nevertheless, rapid population growth has not been accompanied by an increase in the delivery of essential urban services such as water supply and sanitation. This poses a risk on the right of the public to healthy living. The study assesses the water supply and sanitation coverage in Jalingo, Taraba State, Northern Nigeria and proffers engineering solutions to stimulate access to water supply and sanitation. It also tests for physico-chemical parameters and bacteriological parameters of water meant for drinking. The analysis of water available for distribution and water requirements show that Jalingo water works function at 15.8% capacity and has a short fall in 2013 of 20,114.450 m3 representing 84.2%. Similarly there is a high indication that sanitation facilities are inadequate. This is justified by the field survey which shows the absence, or near absence, of sanitation facilities as a large population use open field and the river for defecating in the eighteen zones that make up Jalingo. To deal with this menace, the existing nine boreholes should be overhauled and new VIP latrine with hand washing facilities be constructed in schools, hospitals, parks, markets and some locations to close the gap. Government should go into private public partnership and bilateral collaboration with both local and international financial donor agencies such as the UNICEF, African Development Bank, MDGs, etc. with the sole aim of building safe water and sanitation infrastructure to improve human health and dignity.