Poor waste disposal, inadequate culverts driving flooding in Wa – Physical Planning Officer
The Wa Municipal Physical Planning Officer, Pln. Yakubu Zakaria, has identified poor solid waste management, inadequate drainage infrastructure and encroachment on wetlands as the major causes of recurrent flooding in the municipality, calling for stronger public cooperation and stricter enforcement of planning regulations.
Speaking to Info Radio in the wake of the recent floods in Wa, Pln. Zakaria said indiscriminate disposal of solid waste continues to choke drains across the municipality, preventing the free flow of stormwater and causing floodwaters to overflow into residential areas.
Speaking to Info Radio in the wake of recent floods that affected parts of Wa, Pln. Zakaria said indiscriminate disposal of waste continues to block drains, causing rainwater to overflow into communities and onto major roads.
"Basically there are two major causes. One is the way we manage solid waste. Solid waste management is poorly done and when it rains these get to choke the few earth drains that we have, thereby causing the water to spill over into areas they were not supposed to have gone," he said.
He explained that many drainage structures within the municipality are no longer adequate to handle the increasing volume of stormwater resulting from rapid urban expansion.
According to him, several culverts, particularly in older parts of the municipality, were constructed more than three decades ago and have become too small for present-day conditions.
"If you take the municipality, for instance, the Dobile, Kambali area, most of the culverts there are over 30 years old. If you look at the culvert sizes and the volume of water that comes, it is not enough for the water to easily pass through," he noted.
Pln. Zakaria cited flood-prone communities including Dobile, Kambali-Icon area, Mangu, Kpaguri, Lawmas and Kumbiehi, where he said undersized culverts and blocked waterways have repeatedly contributed to flooding.
He added that encroachment on wetlands and natural watercourses has further worsened the situation by narrowing channels through which floodwaters naturally flow.
"Some people have also decided to encroach on some wetlands, thereby narrowing the water passes. I think these are the causes of flooding that I have observed in my three years of work within the municipality," he stated.
On measures being taken to address the challenge, the Physical Planning Officer said the Wa Municipal Assembly, together with the Urban Roads Department, has assessed drainage infrastructure across the municipality to identify culverts that require expansion.
He added that additional refuse containers have been procured, while the municipality has been divided into six waste management zones to improve sanitation through private waste management companies under a new initiative.
He said the initiative, supported by the European Union Sustainable Cities Project, will introduce door-to-door waste collection alongside communal collection and public cleansing.
He also noted that the Assembly has gazetted its sanitation by-laws to strengthen enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal.
"Once these by-laws were not gazetted, it became difficult for us to prosecute offenders on solid waste, improper disposal and management," he explained.
Pln. Zakaria further disclosed that the Assembly intends to review local plans in flood-prone communities, demarcate buffer zones and identify structures built within wetlands and waterways for the necessary planning action.
He appealed to residents to play their part by disposing of waste responsibly, avoiding construction within waterways and reporting unauthorized developments to the Assembly before they become difficult to remove.
"Waste management is a collective effort. Everybody generates waste at his or her residence. If this waste is properly managed, we will not have the situation whereby people are dumping waste anyhow and then water carries them into the drains," he said.
He stressed that tackling flooding in Wa will require a combination of improved drainage infrastructure, effective land-use planning and active public participation in environmental sanitation.
He stressed that addressing flooding in Wa will require both improved infrastructure and responsible environmental practices, saying sustainable urban development depends on the collective efforts of the Assembly and residents alike.
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