Journal of Pollution Effects & Control
Open Access
ISSN: 2375-4397
ISSN: 2375-4397
Titilola Bright-Oridami, Franca Attoh, James Akanmu* and Ezechiel Longe
University of Lagos, Nigeria
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Pollut Eff Cont
Lagos, the fastest growing city in Africa is currently facing a water management crisis which has affected the poor urban communities in the state. Due to poor planning, lack of adequate infrastructure, insufficient funds and a poor governance and regulatory framework, the scarcity of water and impact of pollution on available water bodies in the state is a major problem as only 10% of the population in Lagos is being served by the public water utility, Lagos Water Corporation. The rest of the population gain access to water either from private boreholes or from informal private sector participants such as water vendors. Citizens experience water shortages, water pollution, inadequate sanitation and wastewater treatment and water injustice and inequality. This situation is further worsened by certain factors such as rapid population growth, unreliable electricity, inadequate enforcement and water pipe leakages which exacerbates the situation. Using data generated from respondents through In-Depth Interviews (IDI) in Bariga community, the paper draws a nexus between water pollution and social economic challenges on the vulnerable category in Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria. The paper concludes that sustainability could only be achieved through the deployment of the Adaptive Systemic Approach (ASA) as a tool to make community members critical stakeholders in the provision and sustainability of a natural resource.
James Akanmu is currently Centre leader at the University of Lagos’ Sustainable Procurement, Environment and Social Standard Centre of Excellence also Team Leader of research on application of Nanotechnology in Water Treatment.