Economic and health costs of poor drinking water, sanitation and hygiene on household livelihoods in Jinja city, Uganda

Abstract

The largest tropical freshwater lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, provides both food and drinking water to the people of Jinja City and the surrounding area. However, increasing industrial waste and urban wastewater discharges have affected her water quality. This research was majorly aimed at determining the financial and health impacts of insufficient drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) on household livelihoods in Jinja City. The specific objectives were: to assess the WASH conditions in Jinja; to determine the relationship between water quality, the ease of access to water sources and household livelihoods in terms of disease prevalence rates and to assess the effect of existing and improved sewer treatment techniques on household livelihoods. Data from 18 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and 285 household surveys were collected utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods as part of the study's cross-sectional and descriptive research approach. The average WHO-acceptable water turbidity of 5 NTU (17 °C) was exceeded in every water sample test result, which is required for the survival and transmission of V. cholera. 66% respondents said that the incidence of water-related diseases had a significant influence on household livelihoods. The quality of water conditions was thus perfect for the spread of waterborne diseases including cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, and others. Existing data shows that diarrhoea was a contributing factor in 3.4% of all fatalities between 2018–2019. Uganda spends about 1-2.5% of its GDP on WASH related diseases and an average household spends about shs 500,000 on water related diseases. Secondary data provided for Jinja from NWSC for Kirinya pond showed that some parameters like EC, BOD were not up to standard thus sewer treatment techniques are not so effective. There’s an urgent need to seek alternative but cheaper sewerage treatment techniques. Ugandan's livelihoods thus are significantly impacted by the economic and health implications of inadequate WASH. Health, water, and hygiene awareness campaigns should be carried out to make sure that those who frequent water sources adhere to the standard practices. Safe distances from water sources when digging pit latrines and proper wastewater disposal from industrial parks and factories.