Politicising Water and Sanitation
In the last blog, I explored the challenges Physical Landscape brings to WASH. Today, I will explore an equally important determinant of successful WASH conditions: Human Landscape.
Both the politics of water and sanitation are important and must be seen together because they are closely linked. The supply of water directly affects the level of sanitation, and the level of sanitation determines the amount of uncontaminated water (WHO, 2022).
The inequalities of WASH
Unsurprisingly, not only are there uneven distributions of water in terms of quantity but there are also inequalities in the quality of water because of marginalization in the management of water. A case study done on the inequalities in microbial contamination of drinking water supplies in urban areas in Lilongwe, Malawi reveals that there is a stark difference in water quality between higher-income (planned areas) and low-income neighborhoods (unplanned areas) (Boakye-Ansh et al. 2016). A statistically significant result of p < 0.05 was found in the difference in water quality between high-income and low-income areas. The study also found that different strategies were used to develop the networks between high-income and low-income areas with the former getting larger and better-quality pipes. This kind of inequality is especially common in developing countries (Morales-Novelo et al., 2018).
Fig 1. Daily scramble for water part of life for millions in Lilongwe, Malawi |
In summary, it showcases how these inequalities are a product of planned decisions in both the development of water supply infrastructures as well as the operation and maintenance of them.
Water Politics
The inequalities in the provision of safe and accessible water and sanitation systems lead us to question the powers in play. The politics of WASH has been in existence since colonial times and has played a major role in shaping water and sanitation networks across Africa as the story of the 'poo protests' in Cape Town tells us (Jackson et al., 2018). In our world where the politics of who gets what is increasingly polarized, the successful elimination of inequality becomes a political project. Findings from the study on microbial contamination of drinking water supplies in Lilongwe bring to light how achieving UN SDG 6 is so much more complex than increasing water supply and coverage. Like Lilongwe, a study in Nepal also reveals that the poorest 20% have been given no right to politics. Despite there being a significant increase in water access for others, they are 'left behind' (Mason et al., 2017).
Fig 2. Lack of adequate toilets provision in Cape Town leading to 'poo wars' |
In the past decade, a lot of attention has been put on the debate of 'top-down or bottom-up structures?' for sanitation networks in Africa. Top-down efforts have received a lot of criticism due to their proven ineffectiveness for connecting low-income populations to centralized water and sanitation services as evidenced by the Bakalori Irrigation Project in Nigeria. An integrated river basin management on the other hand would be more suitable as it reconciles water demand conflicts; incorporates environmental issues within water management; encourages participatory approaches; and develops sustainable water management practices.
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