Now is not the time to turn off the tap...


This final instalment in my blog series will take a look to the future, where I will unpack the topic of water and sanitation in relation to the pressing issue of climate change.

Several climate change studies predict that there will be fewer light precipitation events and more frequent heavy precipitation events, where this is particularly exaggerated in the tropics.

According to Cann et al. (2013), one of the detrimental effects of climate change on water and sanitation is the rise in water-borne diseases due to more frequent and intense flood events. The outbreaks of disease were associated most frequently with contamination of drinking water supplies (57.3%). Flooding can lead to contamination through the widespread spillage of faecal matter into the environment, (as can be highlighted in Figure 1) as well as the risk of damage to sewers and wastewater treatment plants. The contamination of water supplies poses an enormous risk to developing countries, such as Africa, where public health infrastructure is less resilient. 


Figure 1: Distribution of observed faecal contamination of shallow groundwater by nitrate and Escherichia coli in Dakar, Senegal (Diaw et al., 2020). 

Climate change is seen to be exacerbating the already precarious lives of those without adequate water and sanitation. Now is not the time to turn of the tap... 

While COP 26 was a disappointment for some, it has been seen as a "pivotal" moment for the WASH sector (finally- some optimism)! Historically the sector has been slow to mobilise existing knowledge on WASH to tackle the rising climate risks, but the establishment of the 'Water and Climate Pavilion' in the Glasgow conference this year demonstrates the growing "awareness and action in the interfaces" between these sectors.

“The journey for us, at this COP and beyond...is recognising that we’re not the water sector talking to the climate sector, we’re now part of the climate sector.” (Jonathan Farr)

We need to recognise that climate change is everyone's challenge, and thus there needs to be a collective responsibility in tackling it. To build climate resilience, an integrated, collective approach needs to be used. Through diverse stakeholder partnerships and collaborative efforts, solutions can be found that have a tangible impact on the lives of those living on the continent.

In closing, I'd like to express how much I have enjoyed writing these weekly blogs, and I hope that you have found the posts as informative and interesting as I have found the process of writing them. Please keep reading and engaging with the subject of water and sanitation in Africa - as now is not time to turn off the tap...

Goodbye!

Comments

  1. CamilleDecember 24, 2021 at 2:43 AM

    Hi ! I found your post and blog really interesting and detailed ! It is true that climate change has a lot of impact in African countries with more disasters and flooding and there is a need for better cooperation ! I really enjoyed reading you !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Sanitation StationJanuary 2, 2022 at 7:51 AM

      Thank you for reading the post- I find it deeply concerning how the effects of climate change are disproportionately affecting people in Africa, even though they contribute little to the problem. I believe this is something that needs to be closely followed over the next few years, where the lives of people in African communities and villages need to be carefully considered. This should start with creating resilient WASH infrastructures in the present, where this will not only improve the health of local communities, but also aid resilient to future climatic shifts!

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