Chapter 20 - Rural water management status, threats, and prospects: A case study of Sierra Leone

Abstract

Access to safe and clean drinking water in rural communities is a basic and fundamental human right with no available substitutes at any given time. Sierra Leone will achieve its long-term development goals through economic, social, and health improvements. Statistics about the proportion of rural communities having access to clean and safe drinking water across the country vary greatly among reporting agencies. Nonetheless, Sierra Leone is endowed with enormous water resources (both surface and underground) across the country. The major challenges hampering the availability of water, especially in rural communities in Sierra Leone, are poor management of water sources; weak water policy implementation and monitoring; pollution; increase in populations; inadequate funding; poor water facilities; and climate change. Similarly, the rapid deforestation of vegetation around watershed areas in remote communities due to land surface exposure to direct sunlight could potentially lower the water table. Rural communities across Sierra Leone mostly obtain their water from wells, ponds, springs, freestanding water, and streams. Water resource depletion in Sierra Leone is mainly attributed to rapid population growth, poor land-use change practices, deforestation of watersheds, river pollution through mining, industrial activities, poor water management strategies, inadequate infrastructure, and poor water filtration facilities. For sustainable water security, the government should prioritize access to safe and clean drinking water for all, irrespective of social-economic status and geographical location. It is recommended that local bye-laws be adopted within these communities to ensure the effective monitoring of water usage and security.