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While Abuja serves as the political capital of Nigeria, Port Harcourt, the capital city of
Rivers State, serves as the centre of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry (Obinna and others
2010). With two seaports, Port Harcourt has experienced a major growth in industry and
population during the last decades.
I. I. Kakulu
8
WATERANDSANITATIONINPORT
HARCOURT
Nigeria, themost populous country inAfrica, has a total population
of 158 million and approximately 50 per cent of all Nigerians live
in urban areas (UN-HABITAT 2010). Since its establishment in
1913 (Anyanwu 1979) Port Harcourt has experienced a continuous
population growth, with much of this expansion occurring on
the fringes of the city as the surrounding rural communities
gradually urbanise (Obinna and others 2010). Over the last 50
years, the population of Port Harcourt has increased from 56
000 inhabitants in 1950 to more than 1.1 million in 2010, and
is projected to reach 1.68 million in 2025 (UN-HABITAT 2009).
The population growth in Port Harcourt has not matched
the provision of infrastructure, utility, industrialisation and
employment opportunities. The population growth in the city
has resulted in expansion of slum settlements characterised by
poor water distribution and poor waste disposal, resulting in
negative impacts on urban ecosystems such as pollution.
WATER SUPPLY
The main source of water for domestic use in Port Harcourt is
private boreholes. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of
the water supply sources in the city is independent boreholes
(FRN 2006). Other sources are commercial boreholes that have
much higher storage capacity. Water from these commercial
boreholes is transported over long distances using tankers. In
some of the large residential estates in the city, commercial water
providers pipe their supplies directly to the consumers’ homes.
Approximately 20 per cent of the population in Port Harcourt
has access to pipe borne water, which is either piped into their
homes directly or within their premises (FRN 2006). In addition,
water from wells (7 per cent), rivers, streams, or springs (3 per
cent), are other important sources of freshwater (FRN 2006).
Only a small percentage (less than 2 per cent) is dependent on
rainfall harvesting (FRN 2006), Due to its geographical location,
Port Harcourt has a high potential in terms of rainfall harvesting
with its humid equatorial climate and heavy rainfall for more
than 9 months a year.
SANITATION AND WASTEWATER DISCHARGE
Sanitation and wastewater discharge are a major concern
in Port Harcourt. Sewage from septic tanks is dumped into
Sokoto
Katsina
Dutse
Damaturu
Birnin
Kebbi
Bauchi
Jalingo
Minna
Akure
Lokaja
Enugu
Makurdi
Lagos
Port
Harcourt
Benin City
Jos
Calabar
Yola
Umuahia
Uyo
Gombe
Gusau
Lafia
Abakaliki
Kano
Maiduguri
Ibadan
Kaduna
Owerri
Abuja
NIGER
CHAD
CAMEROON
BENIN
8. The contributions of the Commissioner of the Rivers State Ministry of
Water Resources and Rural Development, Patricia Simon Hart, is gratefully
acknowledged. Special thanks also to Ogonna Nsirim and Amatemeso O.
EmmanuelbothstaffoftheMinistryofWaterResourcesandRuralDevelopment,
for their invaluable assistance in obtaining the necessary statistics and records.