Sagenge,Yohana Daud2025-11-102025-11-102007https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7128DissertationThis 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.enUtilization of waterSanitation servicesUrban areasHouseholdsThesis