An estimated 90.8 per cent of Nigerians population lack access to portable water and have to make do with water contaminated by faeces and other impure substances resulting to water-borne diseases.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), recently warned that two billion people are drinking water contaminated with faeces, and 3.4 million people die annually as a result of water borne diseases, associated with inadequate provision of drinking water and sanitation.
Also, over 57 million Nigerians still lack access to portable water, drinking water from rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and irrigation canals, according to the United Nation Children’s Fund, (UNICEF).
Causes of contaminated water A UNICEF Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) specialist, Moustapha Niang, said that more than half of the 57 million Nigerians that lack access to portable water supply, live in rural areas.
There are cases of nitrate contamination also, due to seepage from nearby latrines and the use of fertilizers and pesticides for agricultural purposes.
“Bayelsa is particularly plagued with iron and manganese contamination, and this brings about esthatic issues which can lead to rejection of the water.” According to him, “Of this percentage, the Niger Delta region make up only 16.57 per cent; 32 million of the 190 million population, with access to improved water supply, with Akwa Ibom having 76.3 per cent, Bayelsa 27.5 per cent, Delta 75.1 per cent, Edo 73.2 per cent, and Rivers 86.4 per cent of the 57.48 per cent national average.
As at 2015, it was estimated that 69.6 per cent of Nigerians had safe sources of drinking water, but there was a decline from from 69.6 per cent in 2015 to 64.1 per cent in 2016 and 2017, according to MICS data.
The levels of safely treated water have been low and the 2011 MICS puts it at 0.04 per cent in 2011 and 0.09 per cent in 2012.
Solution UNICEF WASH specialist advised that it is imperative for the three tiers of governments to put more effort to ensure accessibility to portable water supply, or the nation will not be able to meet the SDGs Goal 6 by 2030, which aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
This is an indication that Nigeria has a long way to go if she hopes to meet the Goal Eight of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which targets to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Niang, in his presentation, ‘Water, supply and quality in the Niger Delta’, emphasised on the need for proper orientation of the rural populace to adopt attitude change and embrace water safe plan, from water source, storage to point of use.

Blades – The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) began providing bottled water Friday for drinking and cooking to residents of the Town of Blades in Sussex County, according to DNREC spokesman Michael Globetti.
Bottled water was to be delivered Friday morning to the Blades Elementary School and four daycare centers in the area, and also was being provided by noon Friday to all Blades residents via delivery at the Blades Fire Hall.
All other schools will open as usual.
Water will be supplied to the Town of Blades by DNREC and DPH out of an abundance of caution until additional work can determine the extent of PFC contamination in the municipal wells.
Though PFCs are not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, DPH is working with DNREC to minimize any potential health impacts to the community.
Long-term exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) can affect pregnant women and infants and cause cancer and liver and immune system impacts.
While much research has been conducted on laboratory animals, the accompanying research related to humans is more limited.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) on Friday morning started to provide bottled water for drinking and cooking to residents of Blades.
Water will be supplied to the Town of Blades by DNREC, DPH, and the Delaware National Guard to ensure residents have access to potable water.
Pike Creek – Crews from the Hockessin Fire Company, along with crews from the Mill Creek Fire Company, Delaware State Police and area Fir Police have responded to Limestone Road and Paper Mill Road for…

FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): Grappling with an acute shortage of drinking water, the residents of western Ghor province have urged the government to relieve them from walking long distances to fetch water home after most of the wells in their localities dried up.
Three main rivers of the country, Hariroud, Murghab and Farahroud flow through Ghor province, but still its residents lack drinking water, according to the residents, who claim most of the wells in Ferozkhoh, the provincial capital, had dried up.
Fatemha, 40, a resident of Ferozkhoh, told Pajhwok Afghan News they brought water home from the area’s only well.
Hussai, another resident, said they had shared the water scarcity problem with local officials but to no avail.
We shared the issue with local representatives but they did not pay attention,” he said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Council (PC) members termed the water shortage as a huge issue and added the supply of drinking water to every home was the people’s prime demand.
PC head Fazal Haq Ihsan said he had often highlighted the water scarcity issue during his trips to Kabul with the Energy and Water Ministry.
Governor Ghulam Nasir Khasi said due to the lack of energy, electricity and water resources, the local administration had been unable to address the water shortage issue.
He said thousands of families in Ferozkhoh had been facing the shortage of water and they had been trying to resolve the issue.
Mohammad Amin Wakeel, head of the Hariroud River Administration, said in the past officials of the Energy and Water Ministry had strived to build a water supply system for Ferozkoh but some powerful individuals did not allow the project.

Cape Town faces the unenviable situation of being the first major city in the modern era to run out of drinking water.
São Paulo Brazil’s financial capital and one of the 10 most populated cities in the world went through a similar ordeal to Cape Town in 2015, when the main reservoir fell below 4% capacity.
China is home to almost 20% of the world’s population but has only 7% of the world’s fresh water.
Official figures from 2015 showed that 40% of Beijing’s surface water was polluted to the point of not being useful even for agriculture or industrial use.
The UN estimates critical shortages in the country by 2025.
Jakarta Like many coastal cities, the Indonesian capital faces the threat of rising sea levels.
As a consequence, about 40% of Jakarta now lies below sea level, according to World Bank estimates.
Moscow One-quarter of the world’s fresh water reserves are in Russia, but the country is plagued by pollution problems caused by the industrial legacy of the Soviet era.
According to the Greater London Authority, the city is pushing close to capacity and is likely to have supply problems by 2025 and "serious shortages" by 2040.
Rainfall, however, is concentrated during just four months of the year.

New Zealand researchers are calling for more drinking water fountains in public playgrounds and parks, to provide healthy options in contrast to sugary drinks and also to cater for an increased risk of heat waves.
There are just 34 public drinking fountains across Tauranga City and 14 in the Western Bay of Plenty district.
Most of them are located in high traffic areas and reserves where people are active.
Eight of the council areas had no fountains at all in any of the playgrounds sampled.
The researchers also found the fountain quality varied greatly, with discolouration of the metal surround and one with grass growing out of the drainage sink.
One of the study authors, Professor Nick Wilson, says in an era of climate change with increased risk of heat waves, drinking water in public places will be an increasingly important civic investment.
“Ideally, government should consider regulations that require at least one drinking water fountain in all New Zealand playgrounds and parks,” says Nick, “especially those with sports fields.” The study authors say that good access to drinking water in outdoor public places is also becoming recognised internationally as a health issue, due to the need to provide healthy options in contrast to sugary drinks, which contribute to obesity and rotten teeth.
Mark Smith, manager of parks and recreation for Tauranga City Council, says all 34 of the city’s public water fountains are in good condition.
“We recognise that drinking fountains are an important part of a happy, healthy and active city,” he says, “so there is an ongoing project to install four more water fountains per year until 2024, with priority given to reserves that have both playgrounds and sports facilities in them.” Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserves and facilities manager, Peter Watson, says the council agrees that access to water is important in public places, but also recognises that it is increasingly common for people to carry water in personal containers.
A fountain is approximately $1500 to replace.” Peter says all WBOPDC fountains are in good working order and are regularly inspected by contractors, however they are sometimes the target of vandalism.

Cape Town is parched.
Severe drought and high water use have collided in South Africa’s second largest city, and unless the drought breaks, residents may run out of water in the next few months when there simply isn’t enough water left to supply the drinking water taps.
They released plans to open 200 community water points to provide emergency water in the event of a shutoff – for four million people.
As the crisis worsens, water scarcity will sharpen South Africa’s economic inequalities, inflaming tensions between wealthier and disadvantaged communities.
Cape Town is not alone.
Severe droughts and floods.
Any city, in building a water system, tries to prepare for extreme weather, including floods and droughts.
Its water managers, and South Africa’s overall water expertise, are among the best in the world.
Many regions of the world, as in Cape Town, have reached “peak water” limits and find their traditional sources tapped out.
There is evidence that the current drought in Cape Town shows the influence of climate change.

She said although 64.1 per cent of Nigerians had access to improved drinking water sources, North-East states were, however, lagging behind with 52.4 per cent, while South-West states top the chart with 87.3 per cent of its residents having access to improved water sources.
"About two out of every three households use improved water sources, while a little more than one-third use improved sanitation compared to 58.5 percent and 31 per cent respectively in 2011.
According to the report, overwhelming majority representing 90.8 per cent of households in Nigeria, drink water contaminated by faeces and other impure substances like Ecoli.
She said it was a known fact that water-borne diseases, such as diarrheal had been the leading cause of hospital admissions, especially among under-five children.
The UNICEF official said access to basic water and sanitation would promote wellbeing of citizens and reduce preventable diseases and deaths among the populace.
According to her, the MICS report, carried out in 2017 by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with UNICEF, shows the country’s progress and lapses in key areas of development.
Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh told NAN that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, was working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enforce the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality.
Ugoh, a Deputy Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation in the ministry said, "the ministry is calling on all Nigerians drinking water from borehole and other sources to regularly test their water in laboratories across the country to reduce consuming unwholesome water.
According to her, six new laboratories are being constructed in the six geo-political zones by the Federal Government to improve water quality and standard in the country.
It would be recalled that UNICEF had called on the media to use data journalism to help highlight lapses in development indices and the overall goal of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

OTTUMWA — Three Ottumwa schools were awarded water bottle filling stations by Delta Dental’s “Rethink Your Drink” program.
The overall investment was $230,000, with the chance to apply for an additional $500 to create educational campaigns to encourage students and staff to drink more water.
“One of the biggest benefits is the health and well-being of my staff,” said Dawn Sievertsen, Liberty Elementary principal.
“They said they are more willing to bring water bottles themselves instead of caffeine or sugary drinks.” Each school’s principal decided the fountain placement and location.
“We had 175 schools apply and all schools selected could choose to do the additional educational programming.
There were 40 schools that opted to do so.” Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, based in Johnston, is a wellness company providing vision and dental benefits throughout Iowa.
They said over 50 percent of teens and children in the U.S. aren’t properly hydrated during school.
This impacts energy levels and cognitive function.
“The ‘Rethink Your Drink’ campaign helps educate students on the benefits of drinking fluoridated water and can help reduce healthcare costs for their families and communities.” The fountains, and their costly investment, are supported by the Iowa Department of Public Health Bureau of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Iowa public Health Association, Iowa Department of Education, and Balfrey & Johnston, Inc. Delta Dental said other Iowa schools interested can apply for a water bottle filling station through Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation’s “Rethink Your Drink” project in early May, 2018, to coincide with National Drinking Water Week.
Aaryn Frazier can be reached at afrazier@ottumwacourier.com or on Twitter at CourierAaryn.

Finding drinkable water is one of the first steps in your journey to a new home.
Water Scarce Cities Initiative Hosts Technical Workshop to Tackle Tough Water Issues The World Bank’s Water Scarce Cities Initiative (WSC) provides the unique opportunity for urban water practitioners, global thought leaders, and institutions to share solutions to such complex water security issues.
By bringing together stakeholders with first hand experiences with water scarcity in urban contexts, WSC is bringing to light solutions and strategies for survival in a water scarce world.
Realizing the common global need to improve resilience to demographic shocks, particularly in fragile contexts, the World Bank’s Water Scarce Cities Initiative (WSC) hosted the Second Technical Workshop in Beirut, Lebanon.
The workshop included presentations such as the Malta water security experience and a panel discussion on Urban Water Management Challenges and Approaches.
It is critical to preserve surface, ground- and transboundary water resources through water-related investments aimed at reversing the water insecurity and fragility cycle.
Ms. Lewis reflected on her experience with the workshop, as well as with the dynamics between water insecurity and fragility: “You have systems that are undergoing significant shocks constantly…so you really need an integrated approach because the system alone or these technical areas alone can’t handle the stress from each of these shocks…Trying to bring in the support from the local governments, from the INGO sector, or from the private sector, bringing these voices to the table will help significantly in hedging the risk of investing in water management strategies in fragile states.” Watch workshop interviews, view presentations, and the full agenda, all available on the Water Scarce Cities events and engagement page.
There is still more we can do to improve urban water security in fragile contexts.
Refugee and IDP numbers continue to increase worldwide, while pressure is mounting on finite water resources.
By sharing strategies for survival in a water scarce world, WSC casts new light on how urban areas in scarcity contexts can thrive in a finite resource world.

She said although 64.1 per cent of Nigerians had access to improved drinking water sources, North-East states were, however, lagging behind with 52.4 per cent, while South-West states top the chart with 87.3 per cent of its residents having access to improved water sources.
“About two out of every three households use improved water sources, while a little more than one-third use improved sanitation compared to 58.5 percent and 31 per cent respectively in 2011.
According to the report, overwhelming majority representing 90.8 per cent of households in Nigeria, drink water contaminated by faeces and other impure substances like Ecoli.
She said it was a known fact that water-borne diseases, such as diarrheal had been the leading cause of hospital admissions, especially among under-five children.
The UNICEF official said access to basic water and sanitation would promote wellbeing of citizens and reduce preventable diseases and deaths among the populace.
According to her, the MICS report, carried out in 2017 by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with UNICEF, shows the country’s progress and lapses in key areas of development.
Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh told NAN that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, was working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enforce the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality.
Ugoh, a Deputy Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation in the ministry said, “the ministry is calling on all Nigerians drinking water from borehole and other sources to regularly test their water in laboratories across the country to reduce consuming unwholesome water.
According to her, six new laboratories are being constructed in the six geo-political zones by the Federal Government to improve water quality and standard in the country.
It would be recalled that UNICEF had called on the media to use data journalism to help highlight lapses in development indices and the overall goal of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.