Ecosystem Protection, Integrated Management and Infrastructure are Vital for Improving Water Quality in Africa

Wang, Hong Tao; Omosa, Isaiah Bosire; Keller, Arturo A.; Li, Fengting

doi:10.1021/es301430u

Cited by 10 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For example, Kenya supplies 25% of Europe's cut flowers (http://www.economist.com/node/10657231). Consequently, the greenhouses for rose planting have become a major source of water pollution . In Lake Naivasha, Kenya, we found that the biodiversity has been shrinking in recent years.…”

Section: Sources Of Water Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The lack of power supply also hinders water and wastewater treatment to a great extent in Africa . We found that many treatment plants cannot operate properly due to unreliable power supply system.…”

Section: Challenges For Water and Wastewater Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…A green economy and cleaner production should be employed to reduce wastewater discharge and to recycle resources from wastewater (http://www.grida.no/publications/green-economy/). Green economy can also minimize the impact of human activities on the ecosystem, and the protection of ecosystem can conserve and preserve water quality .…”

Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water and Wastewater Treatment in Africa – Current Practices and Challenges

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2013

CLEAN Soil Air Water

Self Cite

119

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Water and Wastewater Treatment in AfricaCurrent Practices and ChallengesSustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation is an important part of the millennium development goals (MDGs). For most African countries, an extensive effort is needed for the last three remaining years for the achievement of the MDGs, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Current practices for water and wastewater treatment in Africa are insufficient to ensure safe water and basic sanitation. To address this challenge, joint efforts are needed, including transforming to green economy, innovating technologies, improving operation and maintenance, harvesting energy, improving governance and management, promoting public participation, and establishing water quality standards. IntroductionAfrica is often characterized by its clean water and abundant biodiversity [1]. It is no doubt that water quantity and quality is of vital importance for the ecosystem [2,3]. Unfortunately, as the world's second-driest continent after Australia, Africa has only 9% of global renewable water resources to support 15% of the global population [1]. The lack of water in Africa is further aggravated by insufficient treatment of water and wastewater, particularly with rapid population growth and urbanization [2].At present, however, the efforts to improve drinking water quality and wastewater treatment are not keeping pace with population growth and urbanization [4,5]. The growing population and rising economy has resulted in increasing consumption of water and discharge of wastewater, which cause heavy pollution [6]. Water pollution not only reduces available freshwater, but also affects human health and ecosystem [3,7,8]. According to the millennium development goals (MDGs), the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation should be reduced in half by 2015 [9,10]. In fact, water and wastewater treatment is significant for the realization of the MDGs [11,12]. For example, goal 1 (to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) is related to water treatment because the access to safe drinking water can save the time and cost to collect daily water, thus people may have more time to work and to get food [1]. Goal 2 is to achieve universal primary education. Some kids cannot go to school due to the fact that they have to collect drinking water, or they have to quit schools due to water-borne diseases [1]. Goal 3 (to promote gender equality and empowering women) is related to water treatment because the burden of water collection in Africa falls disproportionately on girls and women [1]. Goal 4 (to reduce child mortality rates) is related to water treatment because improving water quality can reduce child mortality [1]. Goal 5 (to improve maternal health) is closely related to water treatment [13]. Goal 6 is to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. It was shown that some diseases including malaria are related with water treatment [14,15]. Goal 7 is to ensure environmental sustainability. One essential part (t...

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Section: Sources Of Water Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Challenges For Water and Wastewater Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Water and Wastewater Treatment in Africa – Current Practices and Challenges

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2013

CLEAN Soil Air Water

Self Cite

119

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“…Successful waste treatment technologies should be sustainable, support periurban primary industry such as agriculture, prevent exploitation of water reserves and other resources, and enhance the quality of life of the community (Wang et al, 2012). Wastewater treatment must be biologically/mechanically rigorous, ecologically sound and environmentally friendly (Golueke and Oswald, 1963;Oswald, 1991Oswald, , 1995 and the WWTW solid, able to withstand the elements and require minimal maintenance over an extended period of time (Wallis et al, 2008;González et al, 2012).…”

Section: Iaps As a Bioprocess Technology For Wastewater Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Belmont Valley integrated algae pond system in retrospect

Mambo¹,

Westensee²,

Zuma³

et al. 2014

WSA

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Integrated Algae Pond Systems (IAPS) are a derivation of the Oswald-designed Algal Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (AIWPS®) and combine the use of anaerobic and aerobic bioprocesses to effect sewage treatment. IAPS technology was introduced to South Africa in 1996 and a pilot plant designed and commissioned at the Belmont Valley WWTW in Grahamstown. The system has been in continual use since implementation, and affords secondarily treated water for reclamation according to its design specifications, which most closely resemble those of the AIWPS Advanced Secondary Process. In this paper IAPS as a municipal sewage treatment technology is re-examined in relation to design and operation, the underpinning biochemistry of nutrient removal by algae is described, and a retrospective is provided on the demonstration system at the Belmont Valley WWTW. In addition to presenting details of the process flow, several shortcomings and/or oversights are highlighted and, in particular, the need for an appropriate tertiary treatment component. However, despite the use of IAPS for sewage treatment in many countries, this technology is still viewed with some scepticism. Thus, a major purpose of this overview is to provide a synthesis of available information on IAPS and an appraisal of its use for municipal sewage treatment.

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“…High turbidity, which decreases the quality of drinking water, is one of the major problems of sources of drinking water in Africa. For instance, in Nairobi, the turbidity of raw water can be 3 NTU in the dry season, and it may reach to 5000 NTU during the rainy season [17,18]. It is reported that the turbidity of Blue Nile and River Nile may reach 7,275 NTU and 6,575 NTU, respectively [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on natural soil coagulants for point-of-use drinking water treatment

Wang

Getahun

et al. 2017

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

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Natural soil coagulants were used for domestic drinking water treatment in Ethiopia because of lacking drinking water supply. In this study, two soils were collected from Ethiopia and jar test was used to investigate the optimum working conditions, performance and safety of them. The turbidity removal efficiencies of soil A and soil B are 74.5% and 91.1% (initial turbidity=400 NTU), respectively. The pH of purified water can meet drinking water standards of Ethiopia (pH=6.5-8.5). Both soils contribute to remove TOC when the initial concentration of it is high. A small amount (0.5 mg. L-1 or 1 mg. L-1) of poly-aluminum chloride can improve the performance of soil coagulants for the removal of turbidity. The application of soil coagulants didn't introduce coliforms, although the total bacteria number of treated water increased to 40 CFU (soil A) and 81 CFU (soil B), still meeting the drinking water quality standards (<=100 CFU).

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Ecosystem Protection, Integrated Management and Infrastructure are Vital for Improving Water Quality in Africa

Abstract: A ccess to safe water and sanitation is an important component of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was expected that 86% of the developing world would have gained access to safe drinking water by 2015. 1

Cited by 10 publications

References 2 publications

Water and Wastewater Treatment in Africa – Current Practices and Challenges

Water and Wastewater Treatment in Africa – Current Practices and Challenges

The Belmont Valley integrated algae pond system in retrospect

Study on natural soil coagulants for point-of-use drinking water treatment

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