FEDURP/ CODOHSAPA–KYC MEDIA
The informal Settlements within the Urban poor communities in Freetown, still face acute challenges in having access to safe and dignified water facilities. Hence, some of the residents of Dwarzak Community have been sharing their different stories to KYC Media by highlighting the rippling effect of such water shortage within the informal settlements. The informal dwellers say they have been relying on the rains as source of access to dignified water, and livelihood, but noted, the rains seldom come as expected. The residents say climate change has affected the heavy down pour of rains as compared to previous years within the informal settlement. The limited number of trees greatly affects overflow of rains in most of these settlements. “The rains do not come heavily as expected; the wind, heavy thunder storm and lighting overshadow the down pour of rains and the weather most often becomes dark without heavy rains,” some of the residents affirmed to KYC Media.
They said most of the trees particularly in informal settlements have limited connection to the municipal water grid. With the growing climate crisis and the limited infrastructures for water supply, the informal settlements face huge challenges to maintain equitable, sustainable, and dignified water facility. Poor access to water has been shaped by multiple factors, and key among them, is the weak and crumbling infrastructures to supply water to the growing number of city residents. Rapid deforestation of water catchment areas for housing development has also made the situation daunting as compared to the past. With this constant water crisis, residents of informal settlements face brunt of the problem. Beyond these challenges, planning process within the city tends to exclude residents of informal settlements, forgetting that they form significant sect of society. Majority of them have the relevant skills to foster development in the country.
But there is a hope that things will get better through the Water Tank Project, to be implemented by FEDURP/CODOHSAPA and partners.