BACKGROUND: Pollution and Sanitation
Public health concerns associated with industrial pollution, high population density and poorly managed on-site sanitation systems are still ravaging oil producing communities of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
This is particularly true for local streams and rivers, as well as ground water resources where high hydraulic loading seems to have overstretched barriers posed by vertical separation or soil media.
This is further worsened by unmitigated industrial pollution from
the oil industries which contaminate water with industrial chemicals and heavy
metals. The immediate result of this situation has been grossly polluted water
supply sources for all men and women resident in this region of Nigeria.
APPROACH: Assessment, Sanitation, Hygiene
In tackling the sanitation challenge, baseline assessment has remained a priority initial approach. It provides us a means of assessing the existing sanitation and hygiene situation of target communities, helping us to understand why people do what they do and why the status quo subsists.
An independent subsidiary of RAWDP; Latrine-Tec helps families to build and use good toilets, empty septic tanks and pits and use the wastes in agriculture and biogas generation. Latrine-Tec also partners with the public and other private groups.
