A recent survey conducted across 39 African countries has revealed a concerning trend – a majority of citizens have experienced a shortage of clean water in their households over the past year. This issue has been highlighted as one of the most pressing concerns for Africans, ranking fourth among the problems they want their governments to address, following unemployment, economic management, and health.

In countries like Benin and Mozambique, access to clean water is a top priority, while in others such as Guinea, Niger, and Tanzania, it ranks second. The lack of clean water disproportionately affects rural residents and the poor, who face significant challenges in accessing clean water and sanitation facilities.

The survey found that 56% of Africans reported a shortage of clean water in their households, with 24% experiencing this issue frequently or always. Shockingly, only 56% of enumeration areas visited by field teams had a piped water system, with even lower percentages in countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Liberia.

Access to clean water varies, with only 40% of respondents having piped water in their homes or compounds, while others rely on public taps, tubewells, boreholes, wells, or surface water. Additionally, less than a third of surveyed areas have sewage systems, with significant disparities between countries.

Despite the importance of safe water and sanitation for health and development, millions of Africans still lack access to these basic necessities. Governments have committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, but progress has been slow. According to the 2023 Africa Sustainable Development Report, 411 million Africans lack access to safe water, and the majority do not have access to safely managed sanitation services.

The urgency of addressing water security is further emphasized by the impacts of climate change, such as prolonged droughts that threaten agriculture and household water supplies. The latest Afrobarometer surveys highlight the lack of progress towards universal access to safe water and sanitation, with a growing number of citizens expressing dissatisfaction with their government’s provision of these essential services.

It is clear that immediate action is needed to ensure that all Africans have access to clean water and sanitation. The time to prioritize this issue is now, as the health, well-being, and economic development of the continent depend on it.