Access to Potable Water Supply in Nigerian Cities Evidence from Yenagoa Metropolis

Abstract

The importance of safe water supply to human health cannot be over emphasized. However, potable water supply to most Nigerian cities is still inadequate. This study was designed to determine households' access to potable water supply in Yenagoa, in terms of quality and quantity. To achieve this aim, 15 borehole water samples were collected from 15 neighbourhoods, which the metropolis was structured. 375 questionnaires were randomly distributed in these neighbourhoods using the systematic sampling technique. The analyses revealed that both the quality and quantity of water supply in Yenagoa were inadequate. For instance, turbidity values in all the sampled water were above the WHO 5 NTU threshold; while 7 (46.67%) samples have pH values below the WHO minimum value of 6.5, indicating acidity. Similarly, iron and lead also have 4 (26.67%) and 3 (20%) samples above the WHO thresholds of 0.3mg/l and 0.01mg/l respectively. The analyses of the quantity of water supply in Yenagoa also show that in spite of the proliferations of wells and boreholes, and the short distances to sources of major water supply, 29.28% of sampled respondents used below 20 litres of water per capita per day. This is mainly attributed to the high cost of water supply (average of N4, 500 per month) in relation to the monthly minimum national wage of N18, 000. It is therefore recommended that the State Government should as a matter of urgency revive and increase the capacity of the state water corporation to deliver potable water supply to the people at reasonable cost.

Population Growth and Pipe-Borne Water Supply in Calabar Metropolis: Finding the Balance

“…The Population Institute noted further that with a projected population of the world to expand to 9 billion people by 2050, it is estimated that 90 percent of the additional 3 billion people will be living in developing countries, many of which are already experiencing water stress or scarcity. In Calabar, the situation is dire and similar to what is obtainable in other Nigerian cities as noted by Krebs (2010), Ohwo and Abotutu (2014), Lawal and Bashorun (2015), etc. A preliminary survey by the authors in Calabar revealed that institutional and physical problems have diminished the availability of the essential commodity, forcing residents to resort to construction of boreholes in their compounds and where a borehole is not present in the residence, women, young men and children are seen spending reasonable time carrying buckets and other containers to and from other water supply sources.…”

Residential Customers Satisfaction with Public Water Provision in Ojota, Nigeria

“…Over the years there has been an increase in the literature on different aspect of water provision, to avail policy makers with reliable information to take informed dicisions, which would lead to sustainable water provision by thier respective public water utilities. Some of these studies focused on access to improve sources of water supply, cost of water and quality and quantity issues (Ohwo & Abotutu, 2014; Ohwo, 2014a; Wagah, Onyango & Kibwage, 2010; Abaje, Ati & Ishaya, 2009) with few focusing on the service quality of the respective public water providers, using customer perception of selected variables to determine customers satisfaction/dissatisfaction (Kassa & Chernet, 2017;Gowela et al, 2017;Abubarka, 2016, Ojo, 2011. Some of the studies in the literature undertaken outside the study area have reported contrary results.…”

Evaluation of Domestic Access to Pipe-Borne Water in Calabar Metropolis, Southern Nigeria

“…Their findings revealed that increasing population has caused a serious water stress in the area and that the areas closer to the water board had more water supply than those areas that are farther away. In the same vein, [21] assessed access to potable water supply in Nigerian cities, evidenced from Yenagoa Metropolis of Bayelsa State. Their study was designed to determine households' access to potable water supply in Yenagoa, in terms of quality and quantity.…”