Christiana J. asked a
question yesterday on whatsapp and i did not want to answer
the question because that i was too lazy to type but somehow i will answer
your question with information from my course water science.
Your question
was why is it that cholera, typhoid and pneumonia is still on the rise in the
country Nigeria and why was the death of 50 people recorded in Lagos last week
due to cholera?
Answer..
1. Borehole water is the main source of
water in the Nigeria but is the water hygienic?
NO:
Why?
2. 1. The rain water is not pure due to it
mixing with pollutants from the air( smoke from cars ,
soot from industries and women who cook with firewood (producing CO
which mixes with water rain water to produce HCO3 which is acidic) and when
this water is consumed it is dangerous to the health.
3. 2.The mechanic who repairs cars leaves
engine oil on the ground (engine oil is rich in hydrocarbons) and is washed
down by rain water or erosion onto the underground water.the soil can only
remove some part of the hydrocarbon but the other constituents like Mercury cadmium etc are
able to get in small concentration into underground water and this is what you
drink in your borehole. Mercury destroys livers and kidneys (Now you also see why kidney and liver damages are on the rise too).
4. 3. Your sewage system (your suck away am not sure
of the spelling but you can correct me if you know the spelling) is
underground. Your waste product from your toilets, your fats carbohydrates and
also proteins from your kitchen are washed and flushed underground and this finds
its way into underground water with the soil just being capable through
absorption to remove a small amount from it and the rest is dissolved into the
underground water system which is where you get your borehole water. Your Faeces
contains so many Escherichia coli and bacteria and this cannot be absorbed by
the soil because it is a living cell and its washed into the water and multiply
because water is good solvent for life
and you drink this, causing more exposure to cholera.
5. 4. Your refuse dump on the street and
roads produce methane and other gases which are released into the air (by the
way causing global warming and that’s why our temperature are rising every year)
and this mixes again with rain water producing more organic compounds that are
washed into the water which you drink.
6. As I was in Nigeria in July I took
my time to see our drainage system and this contains used water(fats, proteins,
carbohydrates etc) which are acted upon by bacteria and is the rest is drained
into water system and also rivers and lakes which is a direct link to underground water and
this is a source of underground water pollution.
Hope you learnt something from this lilltle write up. Love to hear your questions, criticism opinions and suggestions.
