Water Supply and Sanitation Coverage in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Adequate safe water and basic sanitations are very essential for public health and for meeting the SustainableDevelopment Goals. This research used a cross-sectional study to determine the water supply and sanitation coverage in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.  A 40-item questionnaire and on-site observations was used to elicit information from four hundred (400) households in the study area. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages and presented in tables, charts and Figures. Findings from the study showed that 86.5 percent of the households in the study area had access to improved water sources in the rainy season while access reduced to 33 percent in dry season. However, the annual coverage in improved sources of water in the study area was 59.75 percent while the coverage in basic sanitation facilities stood at 78 percent.  Findings in this study also showed that 85percent of the respondents walked below 1 km to fetch water in rainy season while 18.75 percent do so in dry season. Hence, an average of 55.88 percent of the respondents walked below 1 km to access water per annum. Findings further revealed that 83.5 percent and 14.75 percent of the respondents spent below 30 minutes to access water in rainy season and dry season respectively. Thus, 49.13 percent of the respondents walked below 30 minutes to access water per annum. The average daily water use in the area was found to be 28.52litres per capita per day. This study thus concludes that the water supply coverage in Orsu Local Government Area (59.75 percent) was below the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of 75 percent in water supply, which was to be met by 2015. Therefore, the study recommends that water education practice be encouraged among the residents in the study area. Also, adequate improved water sources like the boreholes, and protected wells should be put in place by the Local Government Authority