Unleash Nigeria’s water bounty with affordable sanitation

Nigeria is one of Africa’s most water-rich countries, being home to over 215 km3 a year of available surface water. Yet, the country suffers from economic water scarcity, leaving many people without regular access to potable water.

Poor management of the resource and ageing water infrastructure have led to vast under-usage of what should be a readily available commodity. The situation not only impacts Nigeria’s people but restrains its industrial and socio-economic development as well.

If implemented correctly, water sanitation can be an enormous benefit for overall water availability. The question is: how can public utilities achieve such benefits without spending too much?

The answer lies in modern ultraviolet (UV) and ozone sanitation systems. UV and ozone are good at removing contaminants from water without overly relying on chemicals such as chlorine. Yet, chemical treatment often still seems more affordable. This logic, though, suffers when you factor in reliability, sustainability and safety. And while chemicals such as chlorine still belong in water management cycles, their impact on water reuse and the environment can be tempered by introducing UV and ozone purification systems.

At face value, such new systems might seem more expensive, but not if one considers the total cost of ownership. When the City of Stockholm in Sweden looked to revamp its water systems for better reuse and sustainability, it weighed its choices based on the total life-cycle costs for 20 years. One brand – namely Xylem’s Wedeco systems – won the tender.

Wedeco systems

Wedeco’s sanitation systems lower costs through several avenues. The equipment’s acquisition, installation and running costs are highly competitive. Since Wedeco systems are often self-contained, they require minimal maintenance and oversight. Further to that, Xylem’s local partner network provides reliable design and service choices for the client. Today, over a million people in Stockholm can access clean recycled water.

In order to deliver clean water, one does not need to replace entire water management sites. By applying the right strategic changes, even incumbent sites can reuse water and expand access to surrounding communities. Such strategic investments in water sanitation can significantly increase the number of Nigerians who enjoy reliable access to clean water.

ABOUT WEDECO

Wedeco was founded in 1976 in Herford, Germany, to develop chemical-free and environmentally friendly water treatment technologies, including UV light and ozone systems. There are more than 250 000 installed Wedeco systems for UV disinfection and ozone oxidation globally in private, public utility and industrial locations. Wedeco introduced ozone technology in 1988 and has been expanding internationally ever since. UV disinfection systems have a number of applications, including water treatment and aquaculture. Ozone disinfection systems have applications in drinking water, wastewater, process water, product polishing, bleaching, ozonolysis/ synthesis and deodorisation.