African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

WATER FORMEETING BASICNEEDSGenerally, it is estimated that to ensure the basicwater needs of humans, 20 to 50 litres of waterfree from harmful contaminants are neededevery day. A child in the developed world consumes30 to 50 times as much water as one inthe developing world. Africa is endowed withimmense renewable natural resources, includinga surface area of more than 21 million sq. km.of water and land resources, which are criticalfor the continent’s economic and social development(World Bank, 1989). The crucial role ofwater in meeting Africa’s socio-economic developmentgoals is widely recognized, especially asthe continent faces a crisis of endemic povertyand pervasive underdevelopment.Even though water is intimately linked with Africancultures, religions and societies in myriadways, modern African societies have not sufficientlydeveloped the adaptive capacities to fullyprovide the basic water needs for households andother vital services. These needs include sufficientwater to maintain a basic standard of personaland domestic hygiene and health. Meetingbasic needs does not only entail having access towater in adequate quantities but also the waterbeing of adequate quality to maintain health bybeing free of harmful biological and chemicalcontamination. In most African countries, especiallyin the rural areas, providing for daily waterneeds is a burden on households with inadequatesupply in a number of ways. In addition to thedirect health threats arising from shortages, watersources and the methods of supply, water hasto be carried from long distances, which takestime and effort, a burden borne mainly by womenand children. In urban and peri-urban areaswater is often only available from vendors at aprice that is usually several times higher thanthat for water provided through formal services,and could be of poor quality. Generally, the veryAchieving the World Summit on Sustainable Development(WSSD) targets on water supply and sanitation is not simplya question of providing “taps and toilets”, but also ensuringthe sustainable management of the resources that provide thewater and the appropriate treatment of used water beforere-entering the water cycle. The water supply and sanitation“cycle” frequently undergoes many repetitions before waterfinally reaches the marine environment. The issue also hasdirect implications for public and ecosystem health – UnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP)low level of water resources development in mostAfrican countries is attributed to poor economicperformance and increasing population growthincommensurate with economic expansion andgrowth.Socioeconomic ConstraintsFor many African countries, economic performancein the immediate post-colonial era wasgood. However, since the oil crisis of the mid-1970s, economic performance has been poor andworsening, particularly for sub-Saharan Africa(Mkandawire, T. and C.C. Soludo, 1999). Performancewas particularly dismal in the 1980s.From 1980 to 1994, average GDP growth rateswere lower than population growth rates. Morerecent data show, however, that the period 1996-1998 experienced a slight economic recoverywith an average growth rate of about 3.3 percent as compared to 2.9 per cent in 1997 and4.0 per cent in 1996. For the first time in thepast two decades, the average GDP growth ratesexceeded population growth rates. In 2000, theAfrican population was estimated at 794 millionwhich, and if compared to that of 1995, representsan annual growth of 2.4 per cent duringthe five-year period. From the 1960s through tothe 1980s, Africa’s population grew at an averagerate of more than 3 per cent but went into adownward trend from the 1990s. During the period1975-1980, countries like Djibouti and Somaliahad growth rate higher than 8 per cent (fig.5.1). Erratic population fluctuations in countrieslike Rwanda are due to civil strife.WATER FOR MEETING BASIC NEEDS83