(David Michel – CSIS) Africa’s water systems are in crisis. From the Sahel to South Africa, 845 million people lack safely managed drinking water, and over 900 million do not have access to safely managed sanitation services. The consequences of this water insecurity are severe. Inadequate water and sanitation services degrade public health, undermine food security, and sap economic growth. Unsafe water and insufficient sanitation cause more than 1 million deaths in Africa each year. The African Union estimates the countries of sub-Saharan Africa lose a crushing 5 percent of their GDP annually due to scarce or contaminated water supplies or poor sanitation. Pressures on the continent’s strained water resources are escalating alongside its growing population and economies. Projections show that water use in sub-Saharan Africa will soar 103 percent by mid-century. Nearly two-thirds of Africa’s labor force currently works in water-dependent sectors like agriculture and mining. The future of this region depends on solving its water resource challenges. To provide long-term, reliable water services to the people of sub-Saharan Africa, it is imperative that governments, service providers, donors and development funders, and communities work together in a deliberate, integrated approach to water security. By leveraging infrastructure, investment, information-sharing, and institutions in unison, the region can build sustainable and resilient water systems for all.
Securing Africa’s Future Water Needs
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