Monrovia, Liberia – A serious water deficit and poor waste management are plaguing the residents of Clara Town, a densely populated neighborhood in downtown Monrovia, prompting concerns about possible health emergencies. This community, which has around 65,000 residents, desperately needs basic services like safe drinking water, decent sanitation, and efficient trash disposal.
One local person who expressed the rising dissatisfaction within the community is Varney M. Kiahon. The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) built several water facilities, many of which have fallen into disrepair and are no longer operational for almost three years. “The issue is getting serious day by day,” he stated. Waterborne illnesses have resulted from the tainted water from unkempt public restrooms, which has affected numerous houses.
Liberia sought to raise the percentage of services providing clean drinking water to 85% by 2023 in order to satisfy the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for water access. The fact is still as harsh as ever, with less than 4% of Americans having access to a securely regulated drinking water supply. Less than 1% of people live in rural regions where there is enough clean drinking water.
Since they are the ones who suffer the most from the water shortage, women and children are in an especially bad condition. Kiahon emphasized that only 16 of the 42 water stations built in District #14 benefited Clara Town, and only 8 of those are still in use today. This has raised concerns about the possibility of a waterborne illness outbreak.
A businesswoman who has spent more than thirty years living in the Doe community, Makuba Norris, agreed. “Since I moved here, the issue of water and sanitation has been a major challenge,” she explained. “The decline in available safe drinking water has forced many residents to rely on expensive bottled water, which is a heavy financial burden for low-income families.”
When public latrines too near to water sources were destroyed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many locals were forced to defecate in the open, which made the issue worse. Norris complained, “Women, especially, face serious health risks with the lack of proper sanitation facilities.”
Nearly 90% of Liberians do not have access to clean drinking water, despite the country’s enormous water resources. According to UNICEF, 42% of people in Liberia use open defecation, indicating extremely inadequate sanitation conditions in the country.
Community leaders have approached the WASH Commission and other stakeholders for help in addressing these urgent problems. Funding is still a major barrier, though. The projected US$201 million yearly required to achieve the SDGs is far more than the meager US$891,200 national budget allocated to the WASH Commission for 2024.
The National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission’s CEO, George Yarngo, demanded that a specialized organization be established to supervise WASH initiatives across the country, citing financial restrictions as a barrier to efficient operations.
Improved water and sanitation facilities are desperately needed, as seen by the 15% of illnesses treated at the Lone Public Clinic that are waterborne, according to local health experts like Mr. Koffa J. Nagbe, OIC.
The LWSC admitted that it had financial difficulties in maintaining its water infrastructure. Director of Communications Nimpson Todd underlined the need of raising community understanding of the need of maintaining and using safe water.
Clara Town inhabitants are pleading for rapid government involvement and assistance from foreign partners as they continue to live in these difficult circumstances. The health and well-being of the community are at risk, and time is of the essence. Now is the moment to take action.
Reporter by: Emery Z Watson-Internews Water & Sanitation Reporting Fellow
