ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC SAFE GROUNDWATER SOURCES IN BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA: A BASELINE STATUS FOR MONITORING PROGRESS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 6

Abstract

The performance status of access to safe water sources in a community is determined by the percentage of the population using domestic water sources that meet international standards. Nigeria achieved a total of about 67% of the population with access to safe water sources by 2015 at the end of the period of the Millennium Development Goals. Ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all requires investment inadequate infrastructure, this requirement led to the investigation of facilities currently available in Bauchi State of Nigeria. A baseline survey was conducted in the State towards monitoring progress on development goals, the baseline survey covered safe water sources and health facilities in State. It was found that Dambam Local Government Area recorded the highest access of 60.6% of the population with access to safe water sources, 33.33% of the population in Bauchi Local Government Area has access to public safe water sources while the lowest access recorded 5.26% in Toro Local Government Area. The functionality status of installed safe water sources in the State is currently low; Bauchi Local Government Area recorded a functionality status of 46% for the public motorized schemes and 66% functionality status for the handpump equipped boreholes. It was recommended that in working towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal number 6, massive repair and rehabilitation exercise is required to be carried out on non-functional water supply sources in the State to improve the access to safe water sources.