The water crisis in Mali

Problems

• Causes of the water crisis in Mali

  Mali is a landlocked country with vast deserts and a long dry-season where many people lack access to clean water and sanitation. It's one of the poorest countries in the world.
  
  Causes of the water crisis in Mali:  
  ● Half of all water resources originate outside Mali, including the Niger and Senegal Rivers, which can impact domestic water security and freshwater availability varies significantly by region and across seasons, contributing to significant water shortages in some parts of the country, particularly in the northern Saharan and Sahelian zones. 
  ● The highly variable inter-seasonal and inter-annual flow of the Niger River, combined with more frequent and severe droughts, have reduced dry season water availability in central and eastern Mali. 
  ● Upstream irrigation and hydroelectric power generation are reducing downstream flows required to sustain river stages and flood levels critical to fluvial transportation, agriculture, fisheries, and viable dry season animal husbandry. 
  ●  Municipal solid waste, and effluents from mining, tanneries, and dyeing industries degrade water quality and ecosystems in the IND. 
  ● Groundwater is the primary source for drinking water and domestic use nationally, however, insufficient groundwater quality monitoring and protection schemes increase public health risks, particularly in cities like Bamako. Pathogenic contamination in shallow aquifers is caused by poorly constructed and unprotected wells and infiltration of latrine waste. 
  ● Data on chemical contamination is constrained due to limited groundwater quality testing. 
  ● Staff capacity and funding constraints impede water resources management planning and implementation of basin and sub-basin water management plans and increase reliance on donor assistance. 

• Health effects of the water crisis in Mali

  Water supply and sanitation in Mali is characterized by serious challenges. 
  Chemical contaminants in surface water can bioaccumulate (especially lead) and affect public health, as fish-based diets represent a key pathway for toxin ingestion. 
  
  Unclean water can lead to many diseases that are potentially fatal. Water supply issues lead to a variety of issues throughout the country.
  
  Childhood diarrhea is a waterborne disease and is a primary cause of death in the children population of Mali. Many studies have been conducted in order to reduce this problem, but the number of children dying from waterborne diseases in Mali has risen.