13/10/2022
Water is an essential need for human existence and it's importance for individuals and the well being of a nation cannot be overemphasize or underestimated.
Notwithstanding, many people in developing countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Seychelles and South Africa (NGKESS) do not have access to safe and clean drinking water or to adequate amounts of water for basic hygiene.
Therefore, in many developing countries, there are still many public health concerns related to the challenge of poor water quality and the risk of water borne diseases. This is because most water sources in these developing countries are polluted and contaminated by both organic and chemical pollutants. The rapid urbanization has affected the availability and quality of ground water due to waste and affluent disposal practices, especially in urban areas. Pollution is caused when there is a change in the physical, chemical or biological conditions in the environment which harmfully affects the quality of human life, other animals and plants.
Agricultural practices, industrialization and discharge of sewage into water bodies and percolation of these water through the various underground strata, into aquifers are among the factors responsible for water pollution. Again, pollution arises and escalates when population growth due to urbanization outmatches availability of portable water due to inadequate urban planning processes.
The water quality of an area is determined by factors such as conductivity, dissolve oxygen, PH, color of water, taste and odour, turbidity, total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, microorganisms, such as faecal coliform bacteria, E.coli, cryptosporidium, Gardia lamblia; nutrients (fertilizer), dissolved metals and metalloids and dissolved organics.
The above are well represented in many African countries as earlier mentioned and the only way to ensure safe drinking water and stop illnesses is to intermittently clean the water storages and distribution systems, like water tanks, boreholes and pipes in the homes.
