By Nelson Manneh
Untreated wastewater from compounds along the Kotu Stream is polluting the channel, raising alarms over potential public health risks. Residents and environmental officials warn that the contamination could accelerate the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and typhoid, and expose communities to harmful microorganisms and chemicals.
A walk along the stream reveals pipes buried by compound owners, discharging wastewater directly into the channel. Residents say the practice has become routine, turning the stream into a receptacle for both liquid and solid waste.
Subsistence farmers, who use the stream to irrigate banana plantations and small family gardens, say the wastewater has damaged crops and contaminated food. Health experts warn that such exposure risks soil pollution, the accumulation of heavy metals, and the transmission of pathogens to humans.
Rohey Cham, a resident of Manjai who cultivates vegetables along the stream, said her family can no longer rely on the garden as before.
“Now that is not happening, this is because whenever we cultivate vegetables there they get contaminated and sometimes die. We have to buy chemicals from the market to make sure that they are treated. This to me is caused by the contaminated waters from the stream,” she said.
Ansumana Camara, who lives in Bakoteh near the stream, said residents often dump solid waste as well.
“The government should come up with a mechanism to avert this act, otherwise those residing close to the stream will continue to experience flooding. There should be regular patrol along the stream to make sure individuals who are in to such are apprehended and dealt with,” he said.
Once a place for fishing after heavy rains, the stream has lost its vitality, said Alasan Conteh, a carpenter with a workshop nearby.
“The Kotu Stream needs special treatment as the government wants to bring it back to live. There are a lot of humanitarian activities taking place there and it will be very difficult for the localities themselves to address those challenges,” he said.
The Gambia’s coastline, stretching 80 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean and extending 200 kilometers inland along the Gambia River, is dotted with mangrove forests, mud flats, sandy beaches and lagoons. These habitats are increasingly under pressure from urbanization, agriculture and uncontrolled burning, while climate change accelerates erosion, flooding and salt intrusion.
Under the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA), supported by the World Bank, the Gambian government has selected the Kotu Stream as a priority intervention zone. The stream, which spans 2,476 hectares with an estimated 200,000 people living around it in 2020, falls under the jurisdiction of the Kanifing Municipal Council.
Dr. Muhammed Lamin Sanyang, the WACA Project Coordinator, said the first step has been to work with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to review the country’s Anti-Littering Regulations. The new rules, once enacted, are expected to strengthen enforcement against sewage disposal into the stream.
“Together with NEA, we have also constituted a team to enforce waste management along the Stream,” Dr. Sanyang said. “The team is supported by law enforcement officers that regularly tour the Stream area to enforce the Anti-littering Regulations and other related laws. This helps with both compliance and deterrence.”
He said a comprehensive environmental education campaign targeting schools and communities is also being rolled out, while the project’s Safeguards team has begun engaging households that pipe sewage directly into the waterway.
“Some of their explanation is that the water table along the Stream is very high and therefore they cannot dig septic tanks,” Dr. Sanyang said.
Beyond enforcement, he added, some households may require support to properly dispose of sewage. “Perhaps, this is an issue we can look at and explore ways to support communities affected.”
Untreated wastewater, health experts caution, poses particular risks to children, whose developing nervous systems are vulnerable to toxins. Aquatic species such as fish and oysters are also at risk of heavy metal accumulation, which can pass through the food chain.
“I think the biggest environmental issues resulting from the release of untreated sewage into the stream are: serious public health risk, loss of biodiversity, degradation of the natural environment and affects the livability of the area,” Dr. Sanyang said.
