Access to portable water in spontaneous neighbourhoods in the city of Bafoussam, Cameroon

In Cameroon, the issue of access to portable is water is at the centre of debates because in several regions and divisions a large number of the population do not have access to this precious commodity, which is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of this work is therefore to highlight the difficulties faced by the population to access portable water in the spontaneous neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam. To do this, 173 households in the Bamendzi, Tougang-ville, Tougang- village, Ngouache and Kouogouo neighbourhoods have been the subject of field verification. The result shows that, despite the measures taken by the administrative authorities and the Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (Camwater), not all inhabitants have access to portable water. The main reason for this is; the lack of control over population growth, which is characterised by a continuous increase in built-up areas from 549 to 10710 ha between 1980 and 2020. Similarly, the degradation of water infrastructure and the inaccessibility to portable water are two (02) factors that have pushed the populations to look for alternative sources of water supply, namely wells, boreholes and springs. In addition, about 75% of the population surveyed stated that they get their supplies through these means and also face sanitation problems which are consequently at the origin of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, respiratory and skin infections. However, the Decentralised Administrative Authorities must put in place means to enable the population of the city of Bafoussam to have access to drinkable water.