Health risk assessment along the wastewater and faecal sludge management and reuse chain of Kampala, Uganda: a visualization

Abstract

Abstract. Reuse of wastewater in agriculture is a common feature in the developing world. While this strategy might contribute to the livelihood of farming communities, there are health risks associated with the management and reuse of wastewater and faecal sludge. We visualise here an assessment of health risks along the major wastewater channel in Kampala, Uganda. The visualization brings to bear the context of wastewater reuse activities in the Nakivubo wetlands and emphasises interconnections to disease transmission pathways. The contextual features are complemented with findings from environmental sampling and a cross-sectional epidemiological survey in selected exposure groups. Our documentation can serve as a case study for a step-by-step implementation of risk assessment and management as described in the World Health Organization's 2006 guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, greywater and excreta in light of the forthcoming sanitation safety planning approach.

Microbial and chemical contamination of water, sediment and soil in the Nakivubo wetland area in Kampala, Uganda

“…1 . For further details and a short video publication, the reader is referred elsewhere (Fuhrimann et al 2014 ). In brief, the study area was divided into four sampling systems along the main wastewater chain of Kampala in the divisions Makindye and Nakawa; namely (i) the Nakivubo channel, (ii) the Nakivubo wetland, (iii) community areas bordering the wetland and (iv) the Inner Murchison Bay within Lake Victoria.…”

“…The Nakivubo area is under considerable pressure due to profound demographic and ecological transformations, including rapid urbanisation, industrial developments and the establishment of informal settlement alongside the Nakivubo wetland (Kayima et al 2008 ; Mbabazi et al 2010 ). These contextual factors have led to increased volumes of wastewater, putting additional strains on an insufficiently equipped sanitary infrastructure (Beller et al 2004 ; Fuhrimann et al 2014 ). Hence, there is a need for a sound assessment of relevant environmental, chemical and microbiological parameters along the entire chain from the wastewater treatment plant to Lake Victoria, to enhance evidence-based decision-making for protecting ecosystems and the services that they provide and people’s health and well-being (WHO 2006 ).…”

“…Within the frame of a larger project (Fuhrimann et al 2014 ), the objective of the study presented here was to assess faecal and industrial contamination along the major wastewater system in Kampala to identify potential health risks for specific population groups that show different exposures. Thus, physico-chemical parameters, bacterial and helminth contamination and levels of heavy metals were determined in water, sediment, soil and plant samples at 23 sentinel sites.…”

Microbial contamination along the main open wastewater and storm water channel of Hanoi, Vietnam, and potential health risks for urban farmers

“…While the current evidence suggests multiple environmental and health issues, a systematic assessment of the effectiveness of the different components of Hanoi's wastewater conveyance and treatment system that might reduce microbial contamination is currently lacking. This includes the identification of targeted mitigation strategies for improving the quality of products from urban farming in Hanoi (Fuhrimann et al, 2014;WHO, 2015).…”

Health Effects Associated with Wastewater Treatment, Reuse, and Disposal

“…A good-quality advanced tertiary-treated effluent might be safely reused for crop irrigation, in terms of both environmental sustainability and public health safety, for vegetable irrigation, meanwhile facilitating water use efficiency in arid areas. The health risks associated with the reuse of wastewater and fecal sludge in agriculture has been assessed along a major wastewater channel in Kampala, Uganda(Fuhrimann et al, 2014). The context of wastewater reuse activities in the Nakivubo wetlands was illustrated, emphasizing the interconnections to disease transmission pathways Kihila et al (2014).…”