Accessibility to clean and safe water is a fundamental right that everyone is born with. Water has been described as life numerous times but when its accessibility becomes a privilege and not a necessity it impedes the existence of our population.
According to a recent report released by the United Nation Children’s Fund (Unicef), one in three children in the world are living in areas exposed to high or very high water scarcity.
Basic sanitation and proper hygiene go hand in hand with the use of clean and safe water which is very essential in the growth, development and survival of children.
Concerted efforts by the government and relevant bodies such as NGOs aimed at promoting universal accessibility to clean water is important to families and especially children living in such areas where they are vulnerable to adverse effects of water scarcity.
When children spend most of their time walking long distances to fetch water, which ultimately may be unsafe, their education and well-being is impeded.
Their parents and guardians are also forced to do the same, hence, they fail to engage in economic activities that can help them take care of their families and develop as individuals.
Fifteen million Kenyans still lack access to clean and safe water for consumption. Even though water is accessible, many Kenyans, especially in informal settlements and rural areas, still consume contaminated water because they are not able to afford the means to purify and prepare the water for consumption and kitchen use.
This has a dire consequence on their health, with diseases such as cholera, typhoid and severe dehydration from diarrhoea still at bay and waiting to strike.
Climate change still continues to exacerbate water scarcity. With floods currently wreaking havoc in various parts of the country, waterborne diseases may become incessant during this period of heavy rainfall.
Sanitation systems may become overwhelmed and latrines, sewers and open defecation sites when inundated by floods will contaminate our water sources therefore preventing accessibility to clean and safe water. This may spark disease outbreaks.
Inaccessibility to clean and safe water is therefore a big challenge and its impacts on health, education, economic development and social welfare of various communities is enormous. Therefore, there is need for the government and key stakeholders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector to work together so as to address this challenge.
Building climate-proof water supply systems such as mechanised boreholes and wells, water treatment plants and empowerment programmes that will enable communities to take ownership of such projects and manage them well, are critical.
Advocacy on the significance of water harvesting and recycling is also important in ensuring universal accessibility to clean and safe water.
