Accessibility and utilization of water and sanitation services in urban areas: a case of Mwanza city, Tanzania
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Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was conducted in Mwanza City and the objective was to determine the factors that influenced accessibility and utilization of water and sanitation services. A cross sectional study design was employed. Statistical Package for Social Science software was used in data analysis. The study found that 87% of the 231 households had access to safe drinking water. In urban areas, 53.6% ofthe 183 households had piped water connections. Of households 106 in planned urban settlements, 54.6% had access to piped water services compared to 35.6% of the 51 households in the hilly squatter settlements indicating that household location influenced access to water services (p<0.001). Overall, 78% ofthe 231 households obtained water within 400 metres and 24.2% of the households spent 30 minutes or less to fetch water from the source. About 91% ofthe households had access to water within 400 metres compared to 29.2% of peri-urban households suggesting that urban residents spent less time to fetch water (p<0.001). Ofthe 231 households, 97% had toilet facilities and 61 % owned traditional and pour flush pit latrines. About 13% of the 48 peri-urban households had no toilet facilities. Of the urban 183 households, 6.5 % had flush toilet connected to the sewerage system. Typhoid fever was the commonest water borne disease and the household’s socio-economic status influenced the prevalence of
gastro-enteritis in children (p< 0.000). From this study, the following recommendations were made: extension of the piped water network to developed and squatter settlements: adoption of sustainable water resources conservation and water pollution control measures; community awareness creation on the prevention and control of water-borne diseases; involvement of the private sector in the provision ofsanitation services and use of roof tops rain water harvesting technology; and conducting research to determine the factors for low rate ofsewerage subscription.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Utilization of water, Sanitation services, Urban areas, Households