ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to find out the effectiveness of water supply distribution in Bamenda III municipality through the state of water supply, the management and the problems or challenges faced. A sample study was conducted in the neighbourhood from Bamenda III. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of study consisted of inhabitants of Bamenda III municipality. A questionnaire survey study was used to carry out the research work.

Primary data was collected using questionnaires where all the issues on the questionnaire were addressed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. Furthermore, interpretations were made based on the results presented on tables, chats and figures. A multiple regression method was used to identify the determinant factors influencing the effectiveness of water supply distribution. For findings, a total of 56 participants were enrolled in the research wherein all of them are involved in the use of water especially as a basic necessity where the water supply was seen not to be effective. In the analysis, the state of water in Bamenda III gives reasons for water ineffectiveness through the irregular repairs and maintenance which implicates no pattern of water flow for days and weeks.

This equally varies with seasons wherein water is ineffectively supplied at the peak of the dry season and flows better at the rainy season. Water flow or supply therefore ranges in season, climate and temperature. The management of water by the various stakeholders is poor especially in the financing of water projects and community participation. The poor management resorts to environmental issues like water borne diseases, fall in agricultural yields.

However, the stakeholders ensure a constant cleaning of water tanks. Urban expansion and increase in population equally give pressure to the water sources available thereby limiting its supply. Inadequate finances are a major problem facing the water supply in addition to community participation which is very low. These problems even make the inhabitants to look for different sources of water elsewhere like the wells and streams.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• The Research Context

Freshwater is a rare and vital global resource. Almost 20% of the Earth’s available freshwater is contained within the Great Lakes. It is likely that most minds assume that a supply of clean freshwater will always be available to them. Humans must have freshwater to live, but about 97.5% of the Earth’s water is too salty to use. The remaining 2.5% is fresh water, but most of it is in polar icecaps, remote glaciers, and icebergs. This makes it inaccessible. Accessible freshwater, therefore, comes from streams, lakes, and underground sources. These sources represent less than one-half of 1% of all water on Earth. Placing the massive units of measure used to calculate this fact into perspective is challenging for students of any age. Protecting and maintaining water distributions systems is crucial to ensuring high quality drinking water. Distribution systems consisting of pipes, pumps, valves, storage tanks, reservoirs, meters, fittings, and other hydraulic appurtenances carry drinking water from a centralized treatment plant or well supplies to consumers’ taps (Abendong, 2019).

Water is an essential life-sustaining element. It pervades our lives and is deeply embedded in our cultural backgrounds. The basic human needs of a secure food supply and freedom from disease depend on it. Social development – endeavours such as the smooth functioning of hospitals – likewise relies on the availability of clean water. Economic development requires energy resources and industrial activities, and both are in turn water-dependent. The provision of sanitation for girls in schools offers yet another example of water’s broader links – it has positive effects on hygiene and health, keeps girls in school, and helps to safeguard the natural environment. For these reasons and many more, access to safe drinking water and sanitation is both a development target in its own right and integrally linked to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019).

Water resources are, irregularly distributed in space and time, are under pressure due to major population change and increased demand. Access to reliable data on the availability, quality and quantity of water, and its variability, form the necessary foundation for sound management of water resources. The different options for augmentation expand the boundaries of the water resource in a conventional sense, helping to match demand and supply. All components of the hydrological cycle, and the influence of human activities on it, need to be understood and quantified to efficiently and sustainably develop and protect our water resources. Distribution system infrastructure is generally the major asset of a water utility. The American Water Works Association (AWWA, 2018) defines the water distribution system as “including all water utility components for the distribution of finished or potable water by means of gravity storage feed or pumps though distribution pumping networks to customers or other users, including distribution equalizing storage.” These systems must also be able to provide water for non-potable uses, such as fire suppression and irrigation of landscaping (AWWA, 2018).

The Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC, 2021) is one of the world’s leading institutions concerned with education, training, research and consultancy for the planning, provision and management of physical infrastructure for development in low- and middle-income countries. WEDC is devoted to activities that improve the health and well-being of people living in both rural areas and urban communities. We encourage the integration of technological, environmental, social, economic and management inputs for effective and sustainable development (WEDC, 2021).

The water sector in Africa is heavily dependent on external support and, consequently, the provision of improved water supplies is still fundamentally donor-driven. The traditional approach to rural water supply has been that of the ‘project’ with a finite life span. This is convenient for donors and implementing NGOs but conflicts with the very principle of sustainability. A water supply is a service, and any service requires ongoing management and support. The focus on the facility or static infrastructure (which it is hoped that the users will keep going somehow) detracts from the importance of maintaining a water service, which is a dynamic process. Whilst some donors have recognised the limitations of the project model and are moving to a programmatic approach, there remains a need to recognise the importance of on-going support, whether this be fulfilled by Government or NGOs. The National policy for water resource management in Kenya states that: ‘The Government will continue to promote the development of water systems that are self-sustaining and where the beneficiaries themselves are encouraged to take full responsibility for operating and maintaining systems (AWWA, 2018).

Although the predominant approach to effecting hand pump water supplies in Africa over the past two decades has been through community management, on the whole this approach has resulted in low levels of water supply and alternatives should be investigated. If community management and maintenance systems are to be applied it must be recognised that the level of support required is significant. It is essential that a major funding institution plays a pivotal role in providing this support if such systems are to be successful. It is estimated that more than 12 million people in most parts of Africa do not have access to an adequate supply of potable water. This has resulted in the government setting a goal to ensure that basic water is supplied to all. Basic water supply is defined as 25 per person per day within 200m of their dwelling. Efforts to provide water to developing communities includes various types of water supplies, namely, communal taps, private outdoor taps and private indoor taps (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019).

Many different sectors are dependent on water, and as a result, where water resources are limited, conflicts over use arise. The commonly fragmented management of water resources is particularly inept at solving such conflicts and ensuring sustainable use of the resource. Water resources are naturally confined to water basins so from an ecological perspective, it would be most appropriate to manage these resources at this scale. Further, most of the world’s freshwater resources are transboundary, and that coordination and cooperation across national borders, while necessary, can be especially challenging. By bringing together stakeholders from different sectors and regions, it equally promotes the coordinated development and management of water- and land-related resources, in order to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of ecosystems.

The six “outcome-oriented targets” include: Safe and affordable drinking water; end open defecation and provide access to sanitation and hygiene, improve water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse, increase water-use efficiency and ensure freshwater supplies, implement, protect and restore water-related ecosystems. The two “means of achieving” targets are to expand water and sanitation support to developing countries, and to support local engagement in water and sanitation management. Sustainable Development Goal 11 aims to renew and plan cities and other human settlements in a way that offers opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and green public spaces, while reducing resource use and environmental impact. This study is linked to the Sustainable Development Goal in the aspects of water management and urbanisation.

Cameroon is endoured with a lot of water, ranging from springs, streams, rivers like river Mezam, Manyu, Benue, Sanaga, Wouri, lakes like Lake Awing, Bamboutous, Barombi, Kupemanguba, and seas like Kribi, Limbe, and Douala, and ocean like Atlantic Ocean. Managing this water has not been easy for the Government and the private sector. According to Helvenas, a Swiss Association for International Cooperation, WATER IS LIFE. This is because without water, there is no life. The importance of water cannot be under estimated. Water is used for Agriculture, Transportation, in industries, and household chores as well as drinking. This Cooperation started its development program in Cameroon since 1945, in the Federal State of West Cameroon. Helvetan was in Cameroon for 45 years. During these years, the Cooperation did a lot on water.

CAMWATER is one of the main sources of water supply in Cameroon. It has the mission of managing assets and liabilities connected to public water supply in urban and suburban areas. As such, it is responsible for:​​Planning, carrying out studies, project management, researching and managing funds for all infrastructure needed for the capture, production, transportation and storage, and the distribution of drinking water; Building, providing maintenance and management of infrastructure, capturing, producing, storing and transporting potable water; Making quality control of the operation of the drinking water service and other missions of the companies responsible for the operation of public water distribution; Working in cooperation with other operating companies for information and awareness of users of drinking water and the water sanitation in urban and suburban areas; and generally, all commercial, industrial real estate securities and financial transactions, which relate directly or indirectly to the matter defined below or conducive to their development.

• The Study Area

Bamenda III Subdivision is located in Mezam Division, North West Region of Cameroon. This Sub division is located between latitude 6’15 and 6’25N and longitude 10’02 and 10’15E of the Green Wich Meridian with a population of 110253 inhabitants in 2005 and was projected to be 228190 inhabitants in 2019 (Figure 1.1).