Changing trends in water sources and related pathologies in small to medium size African cities

Global exponential water demand has resulted in the quantity and quality of household water declining rapidly in recent years. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, many small to medium size towns growing at more than 5% per annum provide the region’s momentum for urbanisation. Owing to the dismal performances of water utilities companies, urban populations have tended to resort to diverse and unsafe sources of household water. Illustrating with the city of Buea in the coastal south west Cameroon, this paper examines the changing trends in water sources and the potential health risks to its populations. It relied on a blend of information ranging from reviews of relevant secondary sources, empirical data to field surveys and laboratory analysis. Key findings point to a high level of water misallocation and non-revenue water by the water utility company; a growing movement of households from the certified pipe-borne water source to unimproved sources as follows: 36% to springs, 20% to wells, 25% to water vendors, 27% to rainwater, and 22% to boreholes and only 11% from open streams to piped water. This has resulted in the presence of coliform bacteria in all alternative water sources in Buea, corroborated by hospital returns on water borne intestinal bacterial infections. Given the proven efficiency of water distribution via public pumps and smaller retailers, there is the urgent need for a change of the water distribution paradigm in small and medium size cities in Sub-Saharan Africa to increase access for more people than through the more costly home connections preferred by utility companies.