Providing potable water

September 16, 2002

by Paul Sitnam

It has been said that water will probably be the next resource over which wars will be fought. Presently, oil, diamonds, precious metals (such as columbine-tantalite in Eastern DRC) have been, and still are, the main causes of conflict in many parts of the world; Africa, unfortunately, is no exception.

The effects of the current food crisis, of which drought is a principal cause, only serves to acerbate the problems that people are facing. Africa is still the poorest and least developed continent of the world, with half its population living on less than one US dollar per day. Only 60% of the African population has access to safe water supplies. Water borne diseases and their transmission negatively impact on the population’s productivity; lack of enough water for farming purposes has sharply reduced agricultural production.

The ongoing drought in southern Africa has resulted in shortages of water in poor communities. For example, the “Weekly African Weather Hazards Assessment” dated May 29, 2002 reported that drought during the last half of the 2001/02 season has resulted in large moisture deficits across the Limpopo Basin, reducing water availability to reservoirs, wells and rivers across the area. Observations in Southern and Eastern Zambia indicate that water tables have gone down and wells have dried up.

Another example is the following: a rapid study undertaken in 24 districts in Zimbabwe in May 2002, reported that a total of 451 950 people were affected by the drought in relation to water provision and that a 1 514 water facilities (boreholes and wells) will be required. The evaluation established that of this population, 221 461 children, 26 572 orphans and 18 801 pregnant women have no access to clean water supplies as a result of the drought.

Because of shortages of water, communities are obliged to travel long distances to fetch water, drinking less water and contaminated water. These factors, coupled with poor sanitation facilities, are leading to water borne and water borne diseases (such as cholera), and reducing the intended impact of food aid. Additionally, the shortage of water for irrigation purposes means agricultural productivity is seriously lessened. The resulting poor (or no) harvest means insufficient nutrition for people (especially the vulnerable groups) and the vicious cycle leading to insufficient resistance to disease starts again.

World Vision is assisting communities in the repairing and maintenance of existing wells, drilling boreholes, and small water catchment projects (small dams). World Vision is also working with communities on how to use and maintain water infrastructure, the importance of clean water, and how to manage their water resources better. Another area that World Vision is looking at is to help communities better predict droughts, and prepare for these types of disasters and harden the communities’ capacities to mitigate the effects of a drought.