Water and Sanitation Challenges and Impact on Health in Informal Settlements

Abstract

Access to water is one of the major challenges faced by residents of Freetown, Sierra Leone, and informal settlements are no exception to this problem. Communities’ sources and access to water vary by location. The rapid urbanisation and over population is part of the reasons for the water crisis in the city as the estimated beneficiaries far outweigh the capacity of the national Guma valley water company that is responsible for water supply in the city. The topography of the lands occupied by informal settlements makes their situations even worse to get access to safe drinking water.