Author: Sabrina Chang

Pan-Africa faces multifaceted water quality challenges, necessitating context-specific solutions. Reliable data and collaboration with local stakeholders are critical for effective interventions.¹

Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can transmit diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio and is estimated to cause approximately 505 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year.

In Douala, **70% of water sources** are contaminated with bacteria like E. coli. _{(Source: WHO)}
Every year, **30% of children under 5** in Douala suffer from diarrheal diseases due to unsafe water. _{(Source: Journal of Water and Health)}
Treating waterborne diseases costs families **50,000 XAF per episode**. _{(Source: Cameroon Ministry of Health)}

• Microbial Contamination:
  • Issue: Pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites) due to inadequate sanitation and sewage.
  • Impact: Diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.  
  • Example: 2017-2018 Zambia cholera outbreak affected 5,905 people (WHO, 2018).²

• Heavy Metals (Mercury, Cyanide):  
  • Issue: Illegal gold mining (galamsey) in Ghana pollutes water.³  
• Fluoride:  
  • Issue: High fluoride in groundwater causes dental/skeletal fluorosis.  
  • Regions: Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, Northern Tanzania. ⁴ 
• Agricultural Runoff  
  • Issue: Nitrates and pesticides from fertilizers contaminate water.  
  • Impact: Methemoglobinemia (e.g., in Kenya and Nigeria)⁵

• Salinity Intrusion  
  • Issue: Saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers (Senegal, Mozambique).  
  • Cause: Over-extraction and sea-level rise.⁶

• Emerging Contaminants  
  • Microplastics: Found in Lake Victoria (2020 study in *Environmental Pollution*).  
  • Pharmaceuticals: Limited data but emerging concern in urban areas.

• Climate Change  
  • Issue: Droughts and erratic rainfall worsen water scarcity/quality.  
  • Impact: Sahel region faces intensified water stress.⁷

• Industrial Pollution  
  • Oil Spills: Niger Delta hydrocarbon contamination affects 30 million people.⁸

• Urbanization Challenges  
  • Issue: Untreated wastewater in cities like Lagos and Nairobi.⁹  

• Conflict and Instability  
  • Issue: Damaged infrastructure in conflict zones (South Sudan, DRC).  
  • Impact: Reliance on unsafe water sources.¹⁰

1. Validation Source:  
   – Peer-Reviewed Studies: Journals like *Environmental Pollution* and *IJERPH*.  
   – International Organizations: WHO, UNICEF, UNEP, FAO, IPCC.  
   – NGOs/Government Reports: Amnesty International, Ghana EPA, AfDB. ↩︎
2. Source: *WHO Cholera report*(https://www.who.int/cholera/publications/en/). ↩︎
3. Source: Ghana EPA and [Friends of the Earth Report](https://friendsoftheearth.africa/). ↩︎
4. Source: *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health* (2019 study). ↩︎
5. Source: [FAO Report on Agricultural Pollution](https://www.fao.org/3/i7754e/i7754e.pdf) ↩︎
6. Source: [UNEP Report on Coastal Salinity](https://www.unep.org/) ↩︎
7. Source: [IPCC Sixth Assessment Report](https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/) ↩︎
8. Source: Amnesty International’s [*Nigeria: Oil Industry Pollution*](https://www.amnesty.org/en/) ↩︎
9. Source: [African Development Bank (AfDB) Urban Water Report](https://www.afdb.org/) ↩︎
10. Source: UNICEF’s [Water Under Fire Report](https://www.unicef.org/) ↩︎