Abstract
Improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service provision are hampered by limited open data availability. This paper presents a data integration framework, collects the data and develops a material flow model, which aids data-based policy and infrastructure development for the WASH sector. This model provides a robust quantitative mapping of the complete anthropogenic WASH flow-cycle: from raw water intake to water use, wastewater and excreta generation, discharge and treatment. This approach integrates various available sources using a process-chain bottom-up engineering approach to improve the quality of WASH planning. The data integration framework and the modelling methodology are applied to the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana. The highest level of understanding of the GAMA WASH sector is achieved, promoting scenario testing for future WASH developments. The results show 96% of the population had access to improved safe water in 2010 if sachet and bottled water was included, but only 67% if excluded. Additionally, 66% of 338,000 m3 per day of generated wastewater is unsafely disposed locally, with 23% entering open drains, and 11% sewage pipes, indicating poor sanitation coverage. Total treated wastewater is <0.5% in 2014, with only 18% of 43,000 m3 per day treatment capacity operational. The combined data sets are made available to support research and sustainable development activities.
Highlights
According to the WHO and UNICEF in 2015, 2.4 billion people (33% of the global population) lacked access to improved sanitation facilities and 663 million people (9% of the global population)Water 2018, 10, 1278; doi:10.3390/w10091278 www.mdpi.com/journal/waterWater 2018, 10, 1278 lacked improved drinking water sources [1,2,3]
The WASH material flow methodology as outlined is a prerequisite for carrying out scenario analyses, because it provides a sound quantitative basis to rapidly examine the current status of water and sanitation flows, including validation via mass balances to reduce the plausibility of errors
A data integration framework and a modelling methodology have been developed for obtaining a baseline understanding of water and sanitation systems in developing countries, where up-to-date district level data is not available
Summary
According to the WHO and UNICEF in 2015, 2.4 billion people (33% of the global population) lacked access to improved sanitation facilities and 663 million people (9% of the global population)Water 2018, 10, 1278; doi:10.3390/w10091278 www.mdpi.com/journal/waterWater 2018, 10, 1278 lacked improved drinking water sources [1,2,3]. Sub-Saharan Africa, 70% and 32% of the population lacked improved sanitation and drinking water sources, respectively [1] These deficiencies in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector impose tremendous financial, health and environmental costs on developing countries and their inhabitants [4,5]. A key challenge for improving WASH insufficiencies in developing countries lays in the lack of data describing the local WASH situation, and the inability for fact-based decision-making and policy implementation. For a review on urine and faeces excretion literature, please see Supplementary Material D This results in the inability to tackle water leakage and evaluate designs of new water and sanitation systems tailored to the local context. This methodology should pinpoint key areas for improvements and identify optimal improvement strategies via scenario testing
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