Problem of Access to Drinking Water and Associated Health Risks: Case of the Commune of Lukemi in Kikwit

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, more specifically in the city of Kikwit, access to drinking water is unevenly distributed, hence its selective nature. Thus, the populations of the large and famous Commune of Lukemi rely primarily on unconventional sources of supply to meet their water needs. This massive reliance on inappropriate sources of supply affects the health conditions of this population, hence the aim of this study was to identify the different realities related to access to drinking water in the Commune of Lukemi in the city of Kikwit and to inventory the likely health risks associated with it. Our surveys show that out of the 500 sampled households, with an average number of people per household of 8 and an average length of residence in the Commune of Lukemi of 10 years, the majority of the population of the Commune of Lukemi obtains their water from domestic water sources, i.e. 79% of the overall sample, 11% obtain their water from the Régideso facilities where water flows once or twice every two weeks, and 10% of the population, due to a lack of water from the Régideso and the lack of means to obtain their water from domestic water sources, directly use the water from the Kimani-Mani River. The majority of the population, 60% of whom lack the means, transport their own water without resorting to external help. Thirty percent of households rely on external help for a fee of 500 FCFA per container. However, the remaining 10% of households opt for a monthly subscription of approximately 100,000 FCFA per month for a quantity of approximately 10 25-liter containers per day per cart. Young people under 25 years of age make up the majority of this water supply process, at 40%, followed by those between 25 and 35 (30%) and those between 35 and 45 (20%), compared to those aged 45 and over (10%). Pearson correlations showed that age groups correlate significantly negatively with the quantity of water supplied to households and the number of households served, while the number of households served correlates significantly positively with the quantity of water served. In terms of health, we found that 89% of the population of the Lukemi Commune draws its water directly from domestic water sources and the Kimani-Mani River without prior treatment; this population faces many risks, as confirmed by the local epidemiological results. Thus, a series of recommendations were formulated for the population of Lukemi and the relevant authorities.