Diarrhea
in children under the age of five is very common in the Okatseidhi village,
which is about 60 kilometers from Okahao, where access to clean water is rare,
and they have to resort to drinking dirty water for everyday survival.
Fortunately, the village received nationwide attention when media realized how
the town lives off three dirty wells that have undergone significant
contamination. A microbiologist who visited the wells notified the media that
the smell linked to the “rotten egg” scent is iron and sulphide bacteria, which
produce hydrogen sulphate gas from breaking down the sulphur in the decaying
plants, rocks, and soil. They thrive deep in the well because it is deficient in
oxygen. Usually the bacteria are non-toxic, but as sulfur levels rise, the
bacteria can become toxic to human beings, especially when there are algae.
This toxicity may cause GI tract infections, diarrhea, and abdominal pains.
Unicef,
in collaboration with the ministry of agriculture and USAID, has recently
donated water trucks to deliver water to the dry regions of the country, only
to discover that much more clean water is needed, as each truck only carries
10,000 liters of water. The clean drinking water is “a pillar of health [in
these] communities” and further contamination can lead to more widespread
disease and fatalities.
With
clean water, this means no diarrhea, vomiting, or worm diseases. Now, these
villages need more help from Unicef and other organizations to receive the
clean water.
References:
https://www.namibian.com.na/64849/read/Clean-drinking-water-brings-smiles
-Mark Buckup
What kind of investment in the water trucks or other infrastructure would ensure a sustainable supply of clean water to this region?
ReplyDeleteI wonder how sustainable this is, given the heavy droughts that have plagued the nation for the last decade. Will they eventually have to resort to rivers and other natural waterways instead of wells? - Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a it is very labor intensive and relies a lot on outside aid. Do you know if there is a way that the aid could be used to decontaminate the wells or create a water point that decontaminates water as a more long term solution?
ReplyDelete