Reducing the Risk: Urban Water Stress and Poor Sanitation in the Ashaiman Municipality

Abstract

Access to safe, adequate water and sanitation has been a global developmental priority due to their intrinsic impacts on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Despite the implementation of several measures to improve upon access to safe water and sanitation, residents of Ashaiman still struggle daily to acquire water and have access to sanitation facilities. The research was conducted in four selected communities in the Ashaiman Municipality namely: Adakodzi, Amui Dzor, Jericho and Lebanon to identify and assess the vulnerable conditions of households to environmental inadequacies of potable water and sanitation, so as to device means of reducing the risks associated with them. The study employed the mixed method convergent design of conducting research where elements of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data collection and analysis were used in understanding the research problem. The study revealed that, access to adequate water supply was not necessarily dependent on the physical location of house units but rather on other factors such as lack of building permit, ill-suited housing arrangement of some communities and others. Also, despite the low water supply coverage of 38.5 % for the selected communities, most respondents seem satisfied with water supply situation since they could access water from neighbours and informal water vendors. On the other hand, unsanitary conditions seem to be the major challenge of respondents as 66% of them did not have any form of domestic toilet facilities. Inadequate solid and liquid waste management practices and poor drainage systems were also major problems identified in the Municipality. In addressing these problems, water, drainage system and other logistics for waste management must be provided and extended to most deprived communities by the local government and service providers through a Public-private partnership agreement. Also, since planning rules, regulations and procedures are very essential in reducing the vulnerability of settlements to environmental risk problems, they should be strictly adhered to and vigorously enforced by the Assembly so as to have a well-organized and planned urban environment. Furthermore, since majority of households depended on the informal service providers, more attention should be devoted to regulating their activities.