Effective institutional and legal means of controlling water pollution from sewage: Nigerian and United States experience

Lack of adequate infrastructural services, particularly water supply and sanitation are major constraints to economic and industrial growth in developing countries. Contaminated water resulting from inappropriate sewage disposal is one of the most serious threats to health and productivity of people in not only Nigeria but also in most developing countries. Further, government institutions legally responsible for performing water supply, sewage disposal and treatment services have performed incompetently and ineffectively. The relevant laws are neither effective nor enforced.; The focus of this dissertation is on legal, institutional, economic, social and political aspects of wastewater management and water pollution control. However, where relevant, this study reviews legal, economic and institutional aspects of the water supply sector. To deduce lessons from other systems, this study refers to principles and practices in some developed nations, including France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Further it examines relevant systems in some developing countries, including Chile, Guinea and Ivory Coast.; This dissertation incorporates results of primary research and on-site visits to relevant locations in Lagos, Nigeria. The duration of the field survey was over two months, from December 22, 1992 to March 2, 1993.; Part one of this dissertation explores the modes of creating effective institutional and legal means of controlling water pollution from sewage. This study identifies the low level of financial capacity of government institutions and analyzes the impact of financial incapacity on institutional performance. Subsequently, it reviews the underlying causes of such financial emasculation and of ineffective institutional performance. Further, this dissertation examines the deficiencies in the legal machineries for water pollution control. Consequently, it observes the legal management, control and provision of water supply services in Lagos Metropolis.; Given the highly developed system in the United States, part two examines water pollution problems in peri-urban areas of the United States. It analyzes the mode of financing publicly owned treatment works and of instituting enforcement measures against non compliant facilities under the United States Clean Water Act.; Finally, part three, the overall conclusion, compares and contrasts the United States principles and practices with those in Nigeria. It reviews the lessons that may be deduced from the Nigerian and United States experience. Further, part three proposes effective legal and institutional means of controlling water pollution from inadequate sewage in Nigeria.