Connect: GRID-Arendal Annual Report 2017

Sanitation and safe drinking water in Africa

Providing sanitation services and safe drinking water, as well as properly managing large amounts of wastewater, are at the core of Africa’s development. Against the background of failure to meet its Millennium Development Goals for sanitation, Africa is keen to improve its reporting and tracking of targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted at the United Nations in 2015.

GRID-Arendal is working with the African Development Bank, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and United Nations Environment Programme to support African governments trying to meet 2030 SDG targets for wastewater management and sanitation services. There are differences in how countries perceive sanitation and wastewater, with some ascribing sanitation only to the provision of toilet facilities. In the case of wastewater often only domestic sources are considered. For that reason GRID-Arendal produced a simple animated online show that not only explains terms, but also points out the economic and health benefits of investing in sanitation and proper wastewater management. Through the Wastewater Management and Sanitation Provision in Africa project, GRID-Arendal is not only providing new knowledge on sanitation and wastewater, but also highlighting opportunities for public and private sector investment. A number of stories by African journalists were published on GRID-Arendal’s website over the course of the year on issues ranging from the social and environmental ills of inadequate sanitation

services to many technological innovations by the private and public sectors. A set of four policy briefs also profile Africa’s policy landscape, institutional arrangements and financing mechanisms for sanitation provision and wastewater management. GRID-Arendal also developed a story map that identifies wastewater sources in Africa, including domestic, industrial, agricultural and institutional sources. Using drone footage, interviews, maps and graphics, the story map draws on the Nairobi catchment area as a case study to identify the kinds of challenges and opportunities that Africa faces. Early project findings, including challenges and opportunities for wastewater regulations in Africa, have been brought up at international events such as the 2017 World Water Week in Stockholm in Sweden, and the World Water Day events held in Durban, South Africa. These outreach efforts have created interest in GRID-Arendal’s work, including a request to publish a paper on the reuse of wastewater in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education.

Satellite imagery (December 2016) over Muzoma, Tanzania and Lake Victoria showing algal bloom.

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