Access to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitary Risks in the Town of Bangangté (West Region of Cameroon) Nya Esther Laurentine1*, Mougoué Benoît2
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Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Abbreviated Key Title: Saudi J Humanities Soc Sci ISSN 2415-6256 (Print) | ISSN 2415-6248 (Online) Scholars Middle East Publishers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Journal homepage: https://saudijournals.com/sjhss Original Research Article Access to safe Drinking Water and Sanitary Risks in the Town of Bangangté (West Region of Cameroon) Nya Esther Laurentine1*, Mougoué Benoît2 1PhD student, University of Yaounde I, Department of Geography, BP 755, Yaounde -Cameroun 2Associate Profesor, University of Yaounde I, Department of Geography, BP 755, Yaounde -Cameroun DOI: 10.36348/sjhss.2020.v05i03.007 | Received: 17.03.2020 | Accepted: 24.03.2020 | Published: 27.03.2020 *Corresponding author: Nya Esther Laurentine Abstract Due to the inadequate extension of drinking water distribution network, the population of Bangangte town just like other towns of Cameroon, get water from wells, springs and rivers whose quality is questionable. The consumption of this water, infected by micro-organisms, predisposes the population to water borne diseases. Added to the problem of quantity, is that of quality. This study wants to establish a correlation between the difficulties of access to drinking water and the frequency of water borne diseases in Bangangte town. The methodology used is highly based on households' survey, which permitted the researcher to make a difference between the problem raised and the types of water borne diseases encountered. These inquiries were completed by the collection of clinical data, physico-chemical and bacteriological analyzes of six water samples. The outcome was that, elements of the physical and human milieu are incriminated. As such, only the adoption of methods of water treatment at home is the appropriate solution. Keywords: Access, drinking water, sanitary risks, Bangangte. Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. NTRODUCTION quality of the water consumed? The purpose of this I study is to show that the consumption of water (not Water covers three quarters of the Earth subject to control) due to difficult access exposes the surface. The water needs are at the same time populations of the city of Bangangté to health risks. psychological, sanitary and social. Access to drinking water is an essential condition for the socio- economic development of a country. Having drinking METHODS AND TOOLS water is a human right that is essential for the full This study leans onthe hypothetical-deductive enjoyment of the right to life [1]. Despite the method that involves the use of data from secondary remarkable results achieved for the MDG target for and primary sources. The collection of Secondary data drinking water, 884 million people worldwide still did sources took place in libraries and on the Internet. As not have access to basic drinking water supply for the data primary sources, the collection was carried services in 2015. In sub-Saharan out in the field through direct observation, semi- Africa, 92 220 000 people draw drinking water directly structured interviews with local stakeholders and with from surface waters sources. In Cameroon, 65% of the help of a questionnaire administered to 231 people had basic access to an improved water householders spread in 4 central districts of Bangangté: point [2]. The city of Bangangté, due to physical Nyamjeu, Mba, Mfetom, Batéla. The 2016 consultation. constraints, demographic growth and the inefficient water supply network is not immune to the problem of Register of the Bangangté Integrated Health access to drinking water. Because of the low Centre was used to identify recurring water-borne extension of CAMWATER network or even low diseases in the city. The quality of the water was production, populations in order to respond to their assessed through physico-chemical and bacteriological daily needs, are forced to adapt to the scarcity of analyzes. The number of collected water samples was drinking water by using water from unimproved determined on the basis of 6 criteria: frequency rate of waterpoints. Indeed, the question arises: what are water points, types of water, water use, presence of a the health risks linked to insufficient quantities and poor potential source of contamination, level of water point development, declared waterborne diseases in © 2020 |Published by Scholars Middle East Publisher, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 162 Nya Esther Laurentine & Mougoué Benoît.; Saudi J. Humanities Soc Sci, March. 2020; 5(3): 162-171 households. In this logic, 6 water samples were taken in Dictaphone was very useful during the semi-structured 4 districts: Batéla (2), Noumfam (1), Mba (2), interviews. A GPS receiver was used to take the Banékouane (1). To better monitor the evolution of geographic coordinates of the water points. The pollution over time, water samples were taken in the Palintest Macro 900 supplied by the Bangangté rainy season and in the dry season. CAMWATER water Municipal Water Authority was used for in situ pH was sampled at 3 points: dewatering, treatment station measurement. Quantum GIS software was used to and the consumer’s tap. The water samples were produce the maps. conditioned in 0.5 liter bottles of mineral water, previously rinsed with distilled water, then 3 times with RESULTS the water to be sampled. These bottles were filled and Conditions of access to drinkable water hermetically sealed to avoid gas exchange. Two 1.5 Bangangté in its environment bottles of liters of ice-cold water each was placed in a Bangangté is the capital of the Ndé Division. cooler to keep the temperature of the samples of water The Municipality of Bangangté has 7 groupings: at 4° C as recommended by Rodier [3].The water with Bangangté, Bamena, Bangoua, Bangoulap, Bangang- drawn was then conveyed to the University of Dschang, Fokam, Bahouoc and Batchingou. This study focuses in the soil analysis and environmental laboratory and in on the urban area of the capital of the sub division the Animal Physiology and Microbiology laboratory of district. Between 5 ° 09 '00' 'North and 10 ° 31' 00 '' the Department of Animal Production (FASA). East, the town of Bangangté is limited to the north by Bangang-Fokam , to the south by Bangoulap , to the Amongst the tools used, the tablet was a great west by Bamena and to the east by the Noun (figure 1). help in administering the questionnaire and very useful in taking pictures to illustrate highlights. The Source: Adapted from POS map (2015) and INC (2014) Fig-1: Location of the study area © 2020 |Published by Scholars Middle East Publishers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 163 Nya Esther Laurentine & Mougoué Benoît.; Saudi J. Humanities Soc Sci, March. 2020; 5(3): 162-171 Constraints of access to water consumption in the A specific local climate city of Bangangté Due to its geographical location, the town A physical environment as a constraining factor of Bangangté is disadvantaged compared to the other The availability and the access to water in the regions of the highlands of the West Region of town of Bangangté are influenced by climate, Cameroon. This town has a sheltered Sub mountainous topography, hydrography and vegetation. monsoon climate [4]. The rainfall regime of the Bangangté weather station has only one mode, with a decrease in precipitation in june and july (figure 2). The dry season lasts 3 months and the rainy season 9 months. Source: Ndé Divisional Delegation of Agriculture and Rural Development, field surveys (2016) Fig-2: Bangangte rainfall regime (1951-2016) Figure 2 shows that september and october are sources. It is very expensive for a household located on the rainiest months with an average precipitation greater a side or at the top of the hill to build a groundwater than 200 mm. The very severe dry season lasts from catchment. The rugged terrain therefore induces fairly december to february. The driest month is january, with deep groundwater with the exception of swampy an average of 4.44 mm. In addition, this climate is areas. Hydrography also influences the availability of characterized by a clear rainfall deficit [5]. The water. decrease in precipitation is accompanied by a reduction in the number of rainy days. This climatic The Ngam River, a tributary of the Noun, is predisposition influences the supply of the the main river that drains the town groundwater. The recharge of the water table can only of Bangangte. CAMWATER captures the water from be done in september and october. From december to this river to supply the populations of Bangangté with february, the water table is drained. Irregularities in drinking water. There are many rivers in this precipitation throughout the year favour the town. However, the stream flow is irregular and some development of hot and dry periods, which contribute to dry up completely in the dry season. Over the lowering of the groundwater level. We can deduce time, the Ngam has lost its power due to the gradual from previous analyzes that a downward trend in the decline of the water table. This decrease results partially static level of groundwater compromises the availability results from the planation of eucalyptus dotting the of water in the town of Bangangte. entire locality [6]. b) A tormented relief and a fairly dense hydrographic c) A vegetation strongly influenced by anthropogenic network action The topography of Bangangté is quite calm, The primary vegetation in the Municipality but disturbed by the presence of the hills which of Bangangté is the forest. However, man has left his culminate up to 1600 m of altitude. The elevation of the mark on this original landscape. The eucalyptus is relief limits the extension of the public distribution dominant in the Nde Division.