Unsafe Water and Poor Waste Disposal in Kaduna Fuel Looming Public Health Crisis

A new study reveals that poor waste management and unsafe drinking water sources in Kaduna State, Nigeria, pose severe public health risks. Researchers urge urgent investment in sanitation infrastructure, clean water access, and public education to avert a looming crisis.

A new study by researchers from four prominent institutions, the Air Force Institute of Technology in Kaduna, Nigeria; National Open University of Nigeria; Texas Christian University in the United States; and Mansoura University in Egypt, has raised red flags about the deteriorating state of public health in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria. Published in Cleaner Waste Systems, the study offers a critical assessment of waste management practices and drinking water sources in villages, semi-urban, and urban areas, drawing on data from diagnostic surveys and oral interviews with 458 residents. The results expose a worrying combination of environmental neglect, infrastructure deficits, and community knowledge gaps, all of which threaten long-term public health and safety.

Unsafe Water Sources Put Millions at Risk

One of the most alarming findings from the study is the widespread reliance on unsafe drinking water. In rural areas, 92% of residents depend on untreated water, with 43% drinking from rivers and streams, and another 49% using shallow hand-dug wells. These water sources are highly susceptible to contamination from human waste, agricultural runoff, and other pollutants.

Even in semi-urban and urban areas, access to safe drinking water is far from guaranteed. In the city, while 68% of people use boreholes, only 11.7% access treated water. On average, just 5.7% of Kaduna residents reported using treated water sources. This lack of access to clean water is especially concerning in light of the growing prevalence of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis.

Waste Management Practices Worsen with Urbanization

The study also highlights a disturbing trend in waste disposal habits. Over 56% of all respondents indicated they dispose of their waste in open dumpsites or unlined landfills, which lack any form of engineered containment or treatment. Urban areas perform even worse, 80% of city residents dump their waste in these unsanitary locations.

In rural regions, waste burning is rampant, with nearly 47% of villagers using this method. Burning waste releases harmful toxins into the air, contributing to respiratory illnesses and environmental degradation. Semi-urban and urban residents also contribute to pollution by dumping waste into rivers, streams, and roadside gutters, practices that pose a direct threat to nearby water supplies and ecosystems.

Crucially, the study found no evidence of modern sanitary or engineered landfills in any of the regions surveyed, indicating a severe lack of government investment in sustainable waste infrastructure.

Open Defecation and Sanitation Gaps Highlight Health Inequity

When it comes to sanitation, the situation is no less grim. The study reveals that 18% of the population still practices open defecation, with the rate soaring to 52% in rural areas. Pit latrines are common but often unhygienic, with 39% of villagers relying on them. Urban residents, in contrast, primarily use water-flush systems (80%), although only a fraction, around 3.2%, use systems that involve water treatment.

These disparities point to significant gaps in sanitation infrastructure and reflect deep-rooted inequalities in access to essential services. According to the researchers, open defecation not only contaminates the environment but also perpetuates cycles of disease, especially when combined with the use of untreated water.

Environmental Indiscipline and Socioeconomic Factors Fuel the Crisis

The study goes beyond statistics to explore the human behaviors and systemic factors driving environmental degradation. A recurring theme is “environmental indiscipline,” a term used by the authors to describe widespread negligence in waste and water management. According to their findings, many residents engage in unsafe practices not out of ignorance but due to a lack of infrastructure, weak enforcement of environmental laws, cultural habits, and economic hardship.

For instance, over 69% of those who defecate openly stated they preferred it, while only 31% cited the lack of facilities. The authors suggest this reflects a cultural normalization of practices that are hazardous to health and the environment. They also highlight how poverty forces individuals and communities to prioritize immediate needs over sustainable living, resulting in further damage to natural resources like soil, air, and groundwater.

A Call for Urgent Investment and Community Engagement

The research team concludes with a clear call to action. They urge local, state, and federal authorities, as well as non-governmental organizations, to invest in sustainable water supply systems, modern waste management infrastructure, and public sanitation facilities. Importantly, they emphasize that infrastructure alone is not enough. Education and community engagement must play a central role in transforming public attitudes toward environmental protection.

Integrated waste management systems, the development of engineered landfills, and improved access to treated water are among the top recommendations. Additionally, enforcing environmental regulations and promoting awareness about the health impacts of poor sanitation and water use can drive meaningful change.

The authors stress that failure to act could push Kaduna, and similar regions across Nigeria, toward an escalating public health crisis. Without strategic interventions, the state risks continued exposure to preventable diseases, environmental degradation, and a weakening of its human capital and economic stability.

In sum, the study provides a sobering yet essential roadmap for change. It underscores the urgent need to align scientific research, community knowledge, policy, and infrastructure development in order to secure a healthier, more sustainable future for all residents of Kaduna State.