Invisible Risks in Plain Sight: Perceptions of Water Quality and Health in Rocky-Hill Settlements of SW Nigeria — A Community, Education & Industrial Perception

<p dir="ltr">In many underrepresented rural communities, environmental hazards are often normalized, misperceived, or entirely overlooked. This study examines the gap between perceived and actual waterborne health risks in rocky-hill settlements of Southwestern Nigeria, focusing on Ilawe-Ekiti and Aramoko-Ekiti, areas with fragile water access and infrastructural marginalization.</p><p dir="ltr">Using household surveys, interviews, and field observations, we assessed how communities judge water quality and respond to illness. Findings show a strong reliance on sensory cues such as taste, odour, and clarity, while hidden risks like fluoride, iron, manganese, and microbial pathogens are overlooked. Despite widespread reporting of diarrheal and related illnesses, few households practiced effective water treatment.</p><p dir="ltr">This perceptual disconnect, coupled with limited trust in government interventions, deepens environmental health vulnerabilities. By linking local narratives with scientific evidence, the study contributes to environmental justice, community-embedded policy development, and efforts to advance SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), the Nigerian National Water Policy, and African Union Agenda 2063.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Note:</b> This abstract can also be found in the <b>6th Commonwealth Chemistry Posters abstract book, Pages 30 and 270</b>.</p>