Introduction
Water is life. But unsafe water is disease.
In Nigeria, contaminated water contributes to serious illnesses including diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, and parasitic infections. In Gombe State, where access to treated piped water can be inconsistent, understanding how to make your water safe is not a luxury. It is essential knowledge for every family.
Clean water, safe storage, good sanitation, and proper handwashing can prevent many of these illnesses and protect the health of your entire household.
Diseases Spread Through Unsafe Water
Cholera
Cholera is a bacterial infection that causes severe, sudden watery diarrhoea. In severe untreated cases, dehydration can become life-threatening within hours.
The good news is that prompt rehydration saves lives. Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) should be started as quickly as possible while medical care is being sought.
Cholera spreads mainly through water or food contaminated with human faeces.
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria found in contaminated food or water. It can cause:
Prolonged fever
Headache
Abdominal pain
Weakness
Loss of appetite
Without appropriate treatment, typhoid can become serious and potentially life-threatening.
Diarrhoeal Diseases
Diarrhoeal diseases remain an important cause of illness and death among young children in Nigeria.
Unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, contaminated food, and inadequate handwashing all contribute to their spread.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a viral infection affecting the liver. It can spread through contaminated food and water and may cause:
Jaundice
Nausea
Abdominal discomfort
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Intestinal Parasites
Parasites such as roundworm, hookworm, and Giardia can be associated with unsafe water and poor sanitation.
Long-term infections may contribute to:
Malnutrition
Anaemia
Abdominal problems
Poor growth and development in children
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease associated with contact with contaminated freshwater such as rivers, ponds, lakes, and irrigation water.
It remains a concern in several parts of Nigeria, including northern communities where people may depend on natural freshwater sources.
How Water Becomes Contaminated
Water that looks clear is not necessarily safe.
Common sources of contamination include:
Open defecation near water sources: Human waste can contaminate nearby soil, wells, streams, and other water supplies.
Flooding: Floodwater can carry faecal matter, sewage, rubbish, and other contaminants into wells and household water sources.
Poorly maintained or uncovered wells: Open wells can collect surface runoff, insects, dirt, and animal waste.
Contaminated containers: Even properly treated water can become unsafe again when stored in dirty or uncovered containers.
Damaged water pipes near sewage: Cracked pipes can allow contaminated water to enter the water supply.
Children playing in floodwater: Floodwater may contain sewage, parasites, bacteria, and other harmful organisms.
How to Make Your Water Safe
Boiling: A Highly Reliable Method
Boiling is one of the most reliable household methods for making water microbiologically safe.
Bring the water to a full rolling boil. Once a true rolling boil has been reached, common disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites are rapidly destroyed.
For practical household safety, allow the water to remain at a rolling boil for about one minute, then remove it from the heat.
There is no need to boil water continuously for 10 minutes or longer.
After boiling:
Allow the water to cool naturally
Keep it covered
Store it in a clean container
Avoid touching the water with your hands
If you are unsure about the safety of your water source, boiling is an excellent option.
Chlorination: Affordable and Effective
Household chlorine products such as water purification tablets or properly prepared sodium hypochlorite solutions can be highly effective against many disease-causing bacteria and viruses.
Always:
Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully
Use the correct amount for the quantity of water being treated
Allow the recommended contact time before drinking, commonly at least 30 minutes
However, chlorine does not protect equally well against every organism.
Some parasites, particularly Cryptosporidium, are highly resistant to normal household chlorination. Chlorine may also be less reliable against some other protozoan parasites.
This is especially important when collecting water from rivers, ponds, or other surface-water sources where parasitic contamination may be possible.
When the safety of surface water is uncertain, boiling or an appropriate filtration method followed by disinfection may offer stronger protection than chlorination alone.
Safe Water Storage: Often the Weakest Link
Treating water is only half the job. Clean water can easily become contaminated again during storage.
To protect treated water:
Use clean, narrow-necked containers that reduce hand contact
Keep containers covered at all times
Do not dip your hand or a drinking cup directly into stored water
Use a clean tap, ladle, or pouring method instead
Clean storage containers regularly with soap and safe water
Allow containers to dry properly
Keep drinking-water containers away from animals, rubbish, and dirty floors
Safe storage matters just as much as treating the water in the first place.
Safe Handwashing: One of the Most Effective Prevention Measures
Handwashing with soap is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the spread of diarrhoeal and other infectious diseases.
Wash your hands with soap:
Before preparing food
Before eating
After using the toilet or latrine
After cleaning a child who has defecated
After handling rubbish or dirty items
Before breastfeeding or feeding a child
Water alone is less effective than proper washing with soap.
Rub your hands thoroughly, including the palms, backs of the hands, between the fingers, fingertips, and around the nails before rinsing.
Sanitation: Protecting Your Whole Community
Water safety cannot be separated from sanitation.
Good sanitation protects not only your own household but also your neighbours and the wider community.
Use a Toilet or Latrine
Open defecation can contaminate soil, food, wells, streams, and other water sources.
Whenever possible:
Use a proper toilet or latrine
Keep latrines clean
Keep them safely separated from drinking-water sources
Dispose of Children's Faeces Safely
Children's faeces can contain the same disease-causing organisms as adult faeces.
Do not leave them on the ground or dispose of them near water sources. Place them safely in a toilet or latrine.
Reduce Floodwater Around the Home
Do not allow stagnant or contaminated floodwater to remain around the home.
Flooding can:
Contaminate drinking-water sources
Spread sewage and waste
Increase exposure to disease-causing organisms
Create breeding sites for mosquitoes
Conclusion
Safe water and good sanitation are among the most powerful ways Nigerian families can prevent disease.
Remember the basics:
Boil or properly treat unsafe drinking water
Understand that chlorine does not reliably kill every parasite
Store treated water safely
Wash your hands properly with soap
Use toilets and latrines
Dispose of children's faeces safely
Act quickly when severe diarrhoea develops
If someone develops severe watery diarrhoea, especially with weakness, intense thirst, reduced urination, or other signs of dehydration, start ORS promptly and seek medical care without delay.
At Amkamed Pharmaceuticals, Gombe State, our team is available to provide trusted guidance on water purification, ORS use, diarrhoeal illness prevention, and protecting your family from waterborne disease.
Protect your family's health with safer water and better sanitation. Visit Amkamed Pharmaceuticals, Gombe State, for water purification products, ORS sachets, and professional healthcare advice.
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