An assessment of perceptions, sources and uses of water among six African communities in the North West Province of South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess perceptions, sources and uses of water among African residents of six different impoverished communities in the North West Province (NWP) of South Africa. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was used. Twenty-five purposively selected community members took part in the qualitative phase of the study, and during the quantitative phase a sample of 1 000 participants was proportionately and systematically selected from the six communities. The qualitative results were used to develop a structured questionnaire to quantify and verify the initial findings. The quantitative findings revealed that the majority of participants (72.4%) regard their water quality as average, and believe that water should be conserved and used sparingly (97.2%) and be provided free of charge (90.5%). Results also revealed that residents mostly obtain their water from local government (municipal) sources (76.5%), and that they mostly use water for drinking (98%), cooking (98.8%), flushing toilets (95.9%), washing themselves (bathing) (98.4%), their hands (99%), clothes (99.1%), and personal property (99.3%), as well as to water their gardens and domestic plants (93.2%). Finally, it was found that most people (83%) store their water in a fridge inside their homes. The results of the study have direct practical implications for water management and for the development and implementation of water-related interventions and projects in the NWP.

Assessing inequalities in sustainable access to improved water services using service level indicators in a rural municipality of South Africa

“…This is supported by SDM (2020), which report that 75% of the households use standpipes in their dwellings or communal standpipes within 200 m from the households. Majuru et al (2012) and Coetzee et al (2016) found similar results in studies conducted in rural municipalities of South Africa, where most of the households walked not more than 200 m to access improved water services. This was beneficial to the households because literature indicates that children living in households that accessed safe water not more than 500 m from their households were 34% less likely to get infected by water-related diseases (e.g.…”

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Barriers and Enabling Factors Associated with the Implementation of Household Solar Water Disinfection: A Qualitative Study in Northwest Ethiopia

“…Water storage has been regarded by six African communities in the northwest province of South Africa as a widely recognized method of keeping water quality. 21 Understanding the contamination of the water source is notable because it facilitates the selection of good quality water sources for drinking water supply and offers a basis for establishing treatment requirements within the WHO standard limits. 19 This study attempted to explore participants' knowledge of water quality from protected sources.…”

Study of Community Perception on Drinking Water Quality in Mogadishu, Somalia

“…The study was used descriptive research with specifically cross sectional survey using designed Questionnaires of community perception on Drinking water quality added interpretation to local Somali language, to make easily understandable; then distributed to all respondents. The Questionnaires was evoked but some of them were taken Hendri Coetzee et al 2016 [5].…”

“…Mostly the perception is different form community to community, Hendri Coetzee et al (2016), they revealed that most residents understood the quality of water to relate to aspects like the clarity and colour (cleanliness and brightness), as well as smell and composition and also they found Participants were requested to rate the quality of the water in their communities [5]. The majority (72.4%) regarded the water quality in their area as "average", with a smaller group (24.9%) perceiving their water as being of "good quality".…”