WASH in Zambia's Current Drought Crisis

Two weeks ago, President Hakainde Hichilema declared the current dry spell Zambia is facing as a national emergency. This just compounded the threats towards the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector which is yet to recover from cholera which started in August 2023. Almost all WASH systems have variables that totally depend on normal rainfall. WASH also plays a significant role in strengthening resilience in people by assisting them to recover by the adapting of long term shifts, and promoting mitigation efforts. However, WASH face countless risks from factors like droughts that diminish water supplies and the rising temperatures affect WASH usage. Droughts also negatively affect acceptable hygiene behaviours such as handwashing and toilet usage.

Zambia is no stranger to droughts, however. This provides us with a plethora of useful experience in managing and mitigation the impacts. Below is a chronological list of some of the droughts that Zambia has faced since 1990:

• In 1991/92, the country was hit with a terrible drought In the recently history. It affected over 4 million people and led to widespread food shortages.
• In 2002/03, another drought hit the country resulting in food shortages for millions of farmers who had. In some cases, farmers were forced to consume essential grain seeds for the subsequent farming season.
• In 2015/16, the country got another drought caused by the El Ni?o which affected over 2 million people. This drought also resulted in food and water scarcities.
• Similarly, the 2019/20 drought was attributed to the El Ni?o and (its sister) La Ni?a. This drought affected nearly 3 million people causing crop failures and water shortages.
• This year, Zambia is grappling with another severe drought which has hit 84 out of its 116 districts. Even this drought is caused by the El Ni?o. This ongoing drought has severe consequences on sectors like agriculture, WASH and energy supply. This is jeopardizing national food security and the livelihoods of millions.

The droughts have greatly affected Zambia's economy: energy generation, WASH and food security, underscoring the necessity for ongoing endeavors to enhance preparedness and response to drought. Collaborative efforts between the government, cooperating partners and NGOs aimed at aiding drought affected communities to ensure their health and well-being have been initiated.

Climate change translates that there will be changes in the seasonality of river flows and thus water levels in the Kafue and Zambezi basins dwindling and ultimately the country already being subjected to more than 8-hour daily load shedding effective Monday, March 11, 2024. Projections also indicate that not everywhere will be affected by reduced cumulative water availability. In fact, some areas will start to receive more annual rainfall, while other areas will receive less. Even so, the variability is likely to increase, with more intense rainfall over short periods of time or longer periods with little or no rainfall, with the increased likelihood of extreme water-related events such as floods or droughts - all which affects WASH.

However, here are some WASH interventions that can be applied during a drought:

Provide alternative water sources

There must be a promotion of alternative water sources like rooftop water harvesting and grey water usage especially for in backyard gardens and lawns. Working with the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation and Local Authorities, I am currently conducting a refresher for Environmental Health Technologists (EHTs) and Area Pump Menders (APMs) in handpump repair and maintenance in an effort to improve the borehole functional rate and reduce downtime. Government alone cannot meet the needs of the community and that a more flexible approach to service delivery is needed. There are also important roles for large private sector enterprises to manufacture pumps and spares, and for smaller enterprises for local sale and distribution of spares and to supply skilled labour for pump repairs.

Step up water testing and treatment:

The greatest microbial risks are associated with ingestion of water that is contaminated with human or animal feces which are a source of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and helminths. These pathogens contribute to the immediate causes of maternal and child undernutrition. It is therefore cardinal that districts do periodical water testing of all the boreholes in their catchments to prescribe proper support. However, most districts don't have functioning portable labs, reagents or both. This contributes to delays in sample analysis for fecal coliforms and nitrates which must be done within 24 hours following sample collection. To address this problem, all districts should be supported with portable water testing labs.

Improve the sanitation coverage

Sanitation demand creation activities should continue to ensure the availability and maintenance of sanitation facilities to prevent the contamination of water sources and reduce the spread of diseases.

Promote hygiene awareness

Conducting hygiene promotion campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing, proper sanitation, and hygiene practices during water scarcity should be mainstreamed. Mothers should be prioritized with messages around the importance of handwashing with soap at five critical points – before breastfeeding baby, before preparing/handling food, before eating, after using the toilet, and after changing baby’s nappy. .

Risk Communication and Community Engagement guidance (RCCE)

Communities should be engaged in the entire decision-making processes to mitigate the risk and impact of the already existing cholera outbreak and to prevent exposure, stop disease transmission, and mitigate the harmful effects of the outbreak. Local leaders and community members should also be empowered to take ownership of WASH initiatives and promote behavior change for risk reduction and hazard management.

Promote Sectorwide Collaboration

Fostering collaboration between WASH stakeholders, government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and other sectors such as agriculture and health to ensure a coordinated response to drought emergencies is critical at the moment. Establishing emergency WASH response teams to coordinate rapid deployment of resources and assistance to drought-affected communities. Led by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), the country is currently developing country specific drought response plan and will have WASH cluster guidelines for a comprehensive response.

Drought Resistant Farming

Stakeholders should emphasize the cultivation of nutritious and drought tolerant crops such as cassava, orange maize, cowpeas, and groundnuts. Crops like sorghum, which is a good substitute for maize, have a high tolerance for droughts and is said to have survived the harshest conditions. Climate smart agricultural practices should also be mainstreamed to ensure food security during this time of water scarcity by encouraging farmers to adopt technologies like drip irrigation, grey water should be used to irrigate lawns, trees, ornamentals, and food crops and rainwater harvesting should optimize water use in agriculture.

Integrating WASH and water resource management

The resilience and water security of households and communities can be improved by combining the delivery of WASH services with the principles and practices of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). These are applied to address equity and inclusion, and issues of competition and conflict between different water users. The process also aims to strengthen the link between communities and government institutions and to ensure support is available to resolve disputes and leverage investment in service improvements.

Clearly WASH interventions are only one part of reducing vulnerability. People’s ability to adapt to drought depends on specific livelihood characteristics, in addition, the poor (60% of Zambia's population) and landless (most people in poor communities of cities) are automatically the most vulnerable. Increasing the resilience of none WASH sectors too, such as access to markets, access to finance, levels of infrastructure and employment options must also be engaged

In conclusion, WASH interventions will play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of water scarcity during this drought by ensuring communities have access to clean water, sanitation, and basic hygiene. On Friday, 22nd March 2024, Zambia will join the rest of the world in observing the World Water Day with the theme “Addressing Water and Sanitation Challenges to Promote Peace”. By implementing strategies highlighted above, Zambia can promote resilience, avoid conflicts, and promote peace during this drought period.

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