Residential water solutions that work in West Africa

Household water in West Africa is a practical challenge: supplies are intermittent, pressure drops are common, and quality can vary from one week to the next. The answer isn’t one shiny gadget—it’s a layered approach that mixes reliable sources, basic treatment, safe storage and sensible plumbing. What follows is a field-tested playbook for homes and small residences across the region, with pointers to standards and evidence you can trust.

Two things drive household risk more than anything else: where the water comes from and how it’s stored. The WHO notes that water scarcity pushes families to store water at home - often in open or poorly covered containers - raising contamination risks and even mosquito breeding if containers are left exposed. Covered, food-grade containers with tight-fitting lids and taps (no dipping) are a simple win.

If your main supply is a borehole/handpump, budget for upkeep. Research from Ghana and broader studies show that physical factors (installation quality, hydrogeology, depth, components) and weak maintenance systems are major reasons pumps fail or deliver poor water over time. Plan for preventive maintenance, keep spares on hand, and protect the headworks from surface runoff.

If your household relies heavily on sachet water, treat it as a convenience, not a guarantee of safety. Recent studies continue to report bacteriological failures in parts of Nigeria’s sachet market; contamination can occur during production, transport or retail handling. Use reputable brands, check seals and storage conditions, and consider point-of-use treatment at home as a backstop.

Think in three layers—treat, store, dispense—and choose the simplest option that addresses your risk. For treatment, chlorination with household bleach is fast, inexpensive and effective for microbial risks when dosed correctly; maintaining a small free-chlorine residual also protects against re-contamination in storage. WHO’s Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) materials summarise performance expectations and technology evaluation schemes, and remain the best baseline for buyers and governments. Boiling is a reliable emergency method, though it consumes fuel and provides no residual protection, so pair it with hygienic storage. Filtration improves taste and turbidity control; where microbiological contamination is likely, use units that meet health-based performance targets and replace cartridges on schedule.

‍For storage, keep water in closed, food-grade tanks or jerrycans with taps; segregate “drinking” from “utility” water where possible, screen vents and overflows on rooftop tanks, and clean tanks periodically to avoid stagnation.

For dispensing, dedicate a short kitchen line for treated water, include low-cost backflow prevention (for example non-return valves or air gaps on header tanks), and keep suction points above settled sediment when pumping. These are standard elements of domestic water-safety planning and reduce re-contamination during pressure drops.

Rainwater harvesting can meaningfully boost resilience in the wet season, but it must be designed and kept sanitary. The WHO sanitary-inspection package for rainwater provides checklists and technical sheets to spot common risks, specify first-flush diverters, screen inlets and overflows, choose appropriate roof materials, and keep gutters clear. Treat harvested water if used for drinking, and position rainwater as a complement - not a replacement - for your primary supply, particularly in water-stressed settings highlighted by humanitarian guidance.

A pragmatic baseline looks like this in practice: use municipal feed where available, with borehole or tanker top-ups and seasonal rainwater to supplement. Add a simple sediment strainer to protect fixtures, and run a dedicated “drinking line” through a small cartridge filter and either chlorine dosing or a certified HWTS unit; maintain residual and change cartridges on time. Store water in sealed, food-grade tanks with screened vents, clearly label drinking storage, and route a short, dedicated pipe to the kitchen tap with a non-return valve; if you use a pump, keep the suction above settled sediment. Check free chlorine with a handheld tester after heavy rain or pipe breaks, and send a periodic bacteriological sample to a local lab after major plumbing changes or floods.

Where vulnerability is higher, raise the bar: prefer boiling with closed storage or certified HWTS units with documented microbial removal, and maintain a chlorine residual in stored water. WHO’s HWTS scheme exists to help buyers and authorities identify products that meet health-based performance tiers; use those labels to inform purchases and set household routines.

Progress on safely managed drinking water in West and Central Africa is improving but still trails global averages; service variability means households juggle multiple sources and storage practices, which is why point-of-use treatment and safe storage pay off even in homes with “piped” supply. Country studies underscore parallel pressures from pollution, urban runoff and wastewater gaps, especially in Nigeria - another reason to keep robust household controls while upstream infrastructure catches up.

Our service begins with assessment and design: we review sources - piped, borehole, tanker and sachet—map storage and plumbing, and tailor a simple treat–store–dispense plan for your dwelling. Installation and training focus on a compact drinking-line treatment, tidier storage with covered tanks and screened vents, and basic backflow protection; we leave you with dosing instructions, a cartridge-change calendar and a quick test kit. Ongoing maintenance is lightweight: quarterly checks for chlorine residual and tank hygiene, plus an annual lab sample if you’ve altered your system or experienced flooding.

Swap open buckets for lidded tap-out containers and label them “drinking only.” Fit a first-flush diverter to rain tanks and screen all overflows and inlets. If you use sachet water frequently, audit your preferred brand and storage conditions rather than assuming that factory-sealed always means safe. Keep household chlorine and a simple free-chlorine tester on hand, and dose and verify after heavy rain or pipe breaks.