WATER POLLUTION IN AFRICALatif Laari –Geography 102

Fall Semester VVC

THE ISSUE Africa , like numerous regions of the world is suffering through severe

environmental crisis. Water pollution is one major pollution problem in Africa Pollution usually occurs when waste from homes, cities and industry is

discarded illegally in tributaries , rivers & oceans. Trash disposal is particularly acute in Africa, trash usually contains

harmful chemicals , plastics and disease.

THE WATER CRISIS Most countries in Africa cannot supply enough

water to their people The main reasons for this crisis are :

Africa’s geography , huge regions of Africa are arid or semi arid deserts

Most countries are having an increasing challenge in controlling pollution to rivers and drinking water.

Every year , deserts claim more land.so desertification is a becoming even more of a problem.

The limited supply of water and the heavy demand from both industry and people are making the problem even more acute.

WATER STRESS AND SCARCITY

Water scarcity was experienced in 10 African countries in 1995: Algeria, Burundi, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Rwanda and Tunisia.

Projections indicate that the situation will worsen by 2025, 14 countries will suffer water scarcity and a further 11 countries will suffer water stress.

In a few years, at the current rate of water demand, almost all sub-Saharan African countries will be below the level at which water supply is enough for all. Even worse, most of them will be in a state of water-stress or scarcity..

LARGE RIVERS , UNSTAINABLE PROGRESS, THE NILE AS A CASE STUDY Today Africa has big rivers but clean water is hard to come by

The Nile River is a typical example , it is the world longest but the overpopulation and poor regulations is polluting it everyday.

Egyptians live along the Nile and are concerned about its pollution and about drinking water contamination.

The Nile is the life blood of most eastern countries located in Africa

THE NILE Farmers in Egypt rely heavily on Chemical Fertilizers Run off from farms contribute to the Nile’s pollution Fertilizers also contribute to Total dissolved solids and

contaminate the land and make it less suitable from growing crops.

THE NIGER RIVER The Niger River provides some relief to the

people living in the Sahel. The Niger is also a vital transportation route and

an economic lifeline When the Niger reaches the sea in the country

of Nigeria, it broadens into what is known as the “Oil Delta.”

This area is rich in petroleum. The silt from the river makes good soil for

planting crops, also. However, petroleum production has polluted

this once rich farmland.

THE CONGO RIVER The Congo River provides water to villages and

towns, water for irrigation, and a fishing industry. It serves as a major transportation route for

those who need to go from the interior of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean.

Much of the timber from the rainforests is transported down the river, and people travel the river in search of work.

THE CONGO RIVER AS TRASH DUMP Today the Congo River is becoming a trash

dump . Nearly all of Kinshasa’s rivers have become

health hazards responsible for the occurrence of infectious diseases

Only 23% of people in DRC have access to safe drinking water and at this rate of pollution that percentage may go down. Communities and government must unite to save their rivers.

NO CLEAN WATER? We need Clean water is needed for basic health and sanitation. People who are not able to have access to clean water are at risk for

many diseases. Africans are at higher risk for many water borne diseases The most vulnerable especially kids and the elderly are dying at an

alarming rate because of water borne diseases.

WATERBORNE DISEASESWaterborne diseases are caused by infections through fecal polluted water. Their pathogens can - along with heavy precipitation, floods and climatic changes – have a significant influence on the quality of drinking water. Waterborne diseases are: Amebic dysentery Cholera Hepatitis A Typhoid

BETTER ECONOMY VS. CLEAN WATER Some countries in Africa have tried to improve their economies by building huge industrial factories.

Industrial factory wastes are not regulated and are dumped in rivers and streams.

Due to corruption , government officials ignore environmental problems caused by industry.

Waste from industry harms both workers and the people living downstream of the factories

DEFORESTATION IN AFRICA As Africans population increases and nations try to

develop economically, deforestation becomes a growing concern.

Deforestation is the process of rainforests being destroyed to make way for human development.

As more of the Congo is cleared, trees and vegetation are destroyed.

Animals retreat further into the shrinking forest. Some species even become extinct (no longer

exists) In addition, native peoples who have lived in and

depended on the rainforest for centuries find their way of life disrupted forever.

DESERTIFICATION IN EAST AFRICA

Desertification is happening in East Africa as well. In Ethiopia, people who have lived for generations by farming and

raising grazing animals like sheep and goats are finding they have less and less land available to them.

They have also been hit with long periods of drought or periods of little rain.

As cities grow, they expand into areas that were once used for farming. This means those who farm have to reuse the same land. Animals overgrazed their fields and ate more grass than could be

grown before the next season. As the soil has worn out, the desert has crept in.

IN SUMMARY Africa has plentiful water resources but these are unevenly distributed

across the continent; rainfall can also vary substantially from one year to the next. Pollution industrial or otherwise needs to be seriously tackled through a fight against corruption .

A strong focus on developing and improving technologies to conserve and reuse water for agriculture is required; including optimizing water use, treatment of contaminated water, recycling water, desalinating water and harvesting water for irrigation.

Increase investment in public infrastructure like wastewater plants and water treatment plants

WORKS CITED Rose R. The looming water crisis. New African [serial online]. July 2002;(409):46.

Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 8, 2015. Islam S, Susskind L. Understanding the water crisis in Africa and the Middle East: How

can science inform policy and practice?. Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists [serial online]. March 2015;71(2):39. Available from: MasterFILE Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 8, 2015.

AFRICA'S WATER CRISIS DEEPENS. New Scientist [serial online]. March 11, 2006;189(2542):6. Available from: MasterFILE Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 8, 2015.

The Quest for Clean Water. Owl [serial online]. May 2013;38(4):28. Available from: MasterFILE Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 8, 2015.

Oirere S. Desalination Projects Rise in Africa. ENR: Engineering News-Record [serial online]. March 18, 2013;270:1. Available from: MasterFILE Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 8, 2015.