Liquid waste management: The case of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Background: Human beings pollute the environment with their industrial and domestic wastes. In Bahir Dar Town there is no conventional municipal waste water collection and treatment system. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the liquid waste disposal practices of the residents of Bahir Dar Town and to assess the performance of waste water disposing institutions. Methods: Data were collected from 270 households and 16 experts working in liquid waste management institutions. Different closed and open ended structured questionnaires were prepared to collect the data from the samples. Results: Sixty-four percent of the respondents discharge their waste water in to the streets and open fields. The inadequacy of sanitation services resulted in defecating in open fields and discharging of raw waste water into inappropriate places and these, in turn, have created serious environmental problems. Conclusion: There is a weak implementation of the regional sanitation regulations in Bahir Dar. Controlling offenders through strict enforcement of the regulations should be encouraged. Skilled environmental health workers should be assigned at each kebele and sub-city to implement sanitation regulations and coordinate the sanitation efforts at the grassroots levels. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2012;26(1):49-53]