Implications of Improper Sewage Management on Public Health: A Case Study of Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State

Abstract

Sewage management and its implications on public health remain one of the major challenges of urbanisation faced by developing countries such as Nigeria. As a member of the United Nations (UN), Nigeria is actively involved in ensuring achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those that have direct impact on human health and liveability of dwellings in urban and periurban settlements. The sanitary state of an area is largely influenced by the waste handling practices of residents and involves measures for safe waste evacuation and disposal. This study examined sewage management in the low-income settlement of Agboyi-Ketu, Lagos State. In the sampling area, 21 streets were selected using a stratified sampling technique while 105 buildings were chosen via systematic sampling, after which copies of an interview-administered questionnaire were distributed to respondents. It was found that most of the buildings erected close to the nearby water body did not have septic tanks but had either a pit toilet or a non-functional water closet. Some residents openly defecated into the nearby stream and a number of households with septic tanks disposed their sewage in the stream through sewer pipes, thereby polluting the water. Microbiological analyses were carried out on water samples collected from the area (ground water and surface water) to ascertain their level of potability. It was observed that the underground water and surface water samples were highly contaminated with enteric microorganisms such as E.coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas spp and Saccharomyces spp, thus making such water unfit for drinking. The study therefore suggests that more efforts should be made to ensure proper sewage disposal in the area to reduce the negative environmental health impacts for which the majority of residents are responsible. If the situation is addressed, then SDG 3 will be attained, i.e., to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. There will be a reduction in the spread of infectious and communicable waterborne diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, hepatitis A, leptospirosis, and typhoid fever. It is also expected that by 2030, SDG 11—making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable—will be achieved, thereby reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities by paying special attention to municipal and other forms of waste management in cities such as Lagos.