Critical Water Issues in Africa

Globally, 748 million people lack access to safe water, with 325 million residing in Africa. Water diseases kill 842,000 people annually, with the majority of those lacking access to water living in rural areas. Africa is second to Australia in dryness, yet it is home to 15% of the global human population and has only 9% of global renewable water resources. Most of Africa's surface water has become polluted by human activities, and its wells are becoming dry. The impacts of climate change and climate variability are exacerbating water scarcity. Technologies used for water harnessing are outdated and inefficient, necessitating the modernization of water purification technology. Africa requires adopting new methods, such as roof, pavement, and urban water catchment, to recharge its declining groundwater level. The provision of safe drinking water policy needs to shift from piped water to point-of-use technologies at every home. New technologies, including nanoscience materials in water treatment, offer promise for future trends. Africa's water availability is unevenly distributed, following ecological zones and international boundaries. Equatorial Central Africa's tropical zone has 50.66% of available water, while Northern Africa has only 2.99%. Climate variability and climate change have significantly contributed to water scarcity and non-availability, leading Africa to rely heavily on groundwater, which represents only 15% of total renewable water resources. Groundwater supplies about 75% of the continent's population with drinking water. The projected diminishing supply of safe water in the future is alarming, with 25 African countries expected to be water-stressed by 2025, compared to 13 in 1995. Inadequate financial resources and institutional arrangements will continue to worsen the situation. The gap in technological knowledge between African states and developed nations, combined with low political will to prioritize water challenges, hinders the improvement of water quality, sanitation, and reduced industrial and irrigation applications. Economic losses caused by water in the continent are substantial, with Africa's GDP suppressed by 5% due to lack of sanitation infrastructure, 2% due to power outages, and between 5%-25% due to drought and floods. The investment potential in water services is huge, with an estimated $50 billion per annum needed to improve Africa's water situation for the period from 2010 to 2030 and $30 billion for the following 30 years. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Water Challenges highlight the need for improved drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Sub-Saharan Africa has made small progress in achieving the improved drinking water MDG target, with access to piped water in every home stagnating at about 16% between 1990 and 2012. Two out of five people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to improved drinking water sources, necessitating a change of approach in catchment, storage, and purification technologies for the supply of safe drinking water. Water catchment technologies that capture roof water and storm run-offs and store it have been implemented in other countries and need to be adopted and improved in Africa. These technologies offer many advantages, including no mineral additives in the water, ease of delivery, and the recharge of water aquifers, allowing the groundwater table to rise. Groundwater filtration improves quality by eliminating impurities, and the construction of shallow wells and deep wells with high recharge rates enhance community access to drinking water.