**3. Conclusions**

Addressing water shortage in SSA needs a multidisciplinary approach integrating environmental policy, innovative technologies, and socio-economic dimensions. Preserving and restoring water ecosystems such as wetlands and forests to collect, filter, store, and release water appears vital to reducing water scarcity. Additionally, the reuse of wastewater is another strategy to improve both water availability and quality [3] Implementing a tax on heavy water users such as the industries and agriculture would help avoid wasteful water consumption. Moreover, policies like organic farming practices should be encouraged to reduce water pollution. Improving water storage capacity via the construction of more dams, the storage of water in shallow wells, rainwater collection and storage, drip irrigation for crops is of paramount importance to fight against water shortage. To attain the African agenda 2063 based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, it appears crucial to have a good understanding of how waterborne diseases are affecting the population both in urban and rural communities. Therefore, governments in SSA should supervise informal settlements of the population in urban and peri-urban areas in view to reducing the disease burden resulting from waterborne diseases via improving access to safe water. In this case, future research should be redirected towards environmental determinants of waterborne disease outbreaks, and the relationship between waterborne diseases and water resources development in the context of climate change in SSA.

There is a need for in-depth research with a focus on cross-context and crosscultural comparisons that can generate important lessons and insights for effective water policies and that take into account different conventional and alternative water uses at different scales. There is also a need for optimal use of groundwater since SSA is currently underusing its renewable groundwater and irrigable cultivable land. National governments should provide adequate investments in water facilities.
