The Causes and Impact of Water Pollution in Africa

Pollution of water sources is a huge problem in Africa, and contaminated water is a major threat to the survival of thousands of communities.

Every hour, approximately 115 people die from diseases linked to contaminated water, poor sanitation and improper hygiene. Even though the dangers of pollution have long been known, efforts to address the problem have had little impact. In fact, in recent years, the situation has only gotten worse.

Water is essential for survival. As more freshwater sources dry up or become polluted, people’s health and livelihoods suffer.

Water Pollution Contributors

Many factors cause water pollution. Here are some of them:

1-Agriculture

Commercial farming releases large quantities of contaminants. These include organic matter, agrochemicals, sediments and drug residues. Fertilisers and waste cause nitrates and phosphates to enter water bodies.

2-Mining

The mining of coal, gold and other natural resources harms the quality and clarity of air, soil and water. The dumping of hazardous waste has severe consequences. Salt and minerals contaminate water and affect its delicate pH level.

3-Deforestation

Deforestation affects wildlife, weather patterns, the ecosystem and the overall climate of an area. The decimation of rainforests in many areas, including West Africa, has reduced topical rainfall. Deforestation also leads to soil erosion causing more soil to seep into water bodies.

4-Plastics

The problem of plastic pollution in the oceans is commonly understood, but plastic also causes pollution problems in freshwater. It affects the organic life (fish, other animals and microorganisms), and this impacts the entire ecosystem of an area. It also clogs up inlets and outlets to rivers and dams, affecting the flow and access to communities that rely on these water sources.

5-Global warming

Rising climatic temperatures also mean rising water temperatures. And a rise of even one degree can increase the number of nutrients in the water. This can cause excessive algal growth, which negatively impacts the quality of drinking water.

Global warming also affects weather patterns causing droughts which dry up natural water sources. Storms increase the amount of soil and other residues that end up in lakes, ponds and rivers, affecting the quality of water people rely on for drinking, farming, cooking and cleaning.

6-Water Pollution Impacts

Unsafe water has a direct impact on people’s livelihoods, health and future prospects. When a water source dries up or becomes unusable, communities are forced to find other sources of water and often have to travel long distances to fetch water for daily use.

Often these sources, too, have been polluted or are not sustainable. Communities are forced to relocate over and over to areas which may not necessarily be better. This causes untold suffering to the poorest of the poor.

7-Addressing the Immediate Problem

Prevention is the best and most sustainable solution. But preventing pollution requires the coordination of governments, industries and organisations that are willing to address the needs of local communities. Often what’s lacking is the political will to implement anti-pollution programmes because of short-sighted economic imperatives. Meanwhile, the most vulnerable are at risk.

At African Relief Fund (ARF), we work to tackle the immediate problem of water access caused by pollution and drought. We install water wells, boreholes and water pumps to allow affected people immediate access to underground water that is safe.

Our water projects are rolled out in existing and newly settled areas across the Horn of Africa. We work closely with local communities, governments and other organisations to ensure our projects are suitable to local conditions.

Over the years, we’ve uplifted hundreds of communities through safe water projects. But the needs grow daily as the impacts of global warming and pollution increase.

Can you help? Read more about our water projects and their positive impact here.