Geographic Information System Mapping of Raw Sewage Discharge Points in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

As part of a suite of studies substrated on the purpose-specific Geographic Information System (GIS) of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, a raw sewage pollution profile layer of this GIS was a natural choice to complement the other air pollution studies that were components of this suite; these air pollution studies were concerned with the measurements of the ambient concentrations of noise, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide at the major stalling traffic points in Minna. The creation of a raw sewage discharge profile GIS layer for Minna town would contribute immensely to the public health repository database of the Niger State Government; such a database would form a critical component of the public health policy formulations of the government. About 211 distinct stations of interest in Minna were identified, individually georeferenced, and these values were archived on the Minna GIS. Subsequent processing led to the creation of the raw sewage discharge layer for the Minna GIS. This GIS layer is now a veritable audit mechanism tool in the hands of GIS managers and public health officials charged with enforcing strict hygiene codes. It is recommended that the other major towns of Niger State (i.e., Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja) be brought into this scheme as a pilot project with the long-term objective of replicating this study across the major settlements of Nigeria.