The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, better called PURA, has donated water reagents–worth about US$10,000–to the Department of Water Resources.
The largesse is geared towards providing Gambians with access to safe and quality drinking water, as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
[It would be noted that, the UN SDGs (6.1) aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, by 2030.]
In his remarks at the presentation ceremony held at PURA Head Office on Friday, 30 July 2021, PURA’s Director General (DG) Mr. Yusupha M. Jobe, stated: “Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right and a key determinant of a nation’s health. Equitable access to safe drinking water for all is one of the Gambia’s SDG targets.”
He, however, noted that despite the great significance attached to safe water, there are challenges in maintaining quality water supply which, Jobe stressed, is becoming profound and urgent. He said human activities are increasingly contributing to the pollution of the nation’s water resources, adding this is becoming a growing concern both in the rural and urban Gambia.
It’s for that reason, that the authority signed an MoU with the Department of Water Resources since 2009, with the objective of monitoring the quality of water supplied by NAWEC across the country, the DG told his audience. He informed also that their overall objective is to see that consumers are supplied with water that meets acceptable water quality standards by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Permanent Secretary (PS) at the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources, Mr. Omar SM Gibba, expressed pride to be associated with the event, while pointing out that fresh water quality is intrinsically linked with human health, poverty reduction, gender equality, food safety and security, livelihoods and the preservation of ecosystem.
He went on to state that water quality problems present a major challenge, and that new threats are emerging such as emerging pollutants from personal care products, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, micro plastics, industrial and household chemicals.
The Water Resources Ministry senior official further indicated the SDG recognizes the crucial role of access to water that is really safe for use by human, “and the urgent need to protect the quality of world’s water resources in achieving many Sustainable Development Goals”.
Gibba used the moment to commend PURA for the usual cooperation and ever- ready assistance they had been rendering to the Water Quality Lab since 2009– when the two entities signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
