Evaluation of Domestic Access to Pipe-Borne Water in Calabar Metropolis, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Domestic access to pipe-borne water is necessary for the general well-being of residents of every community. This research investigated domestic access to the service, the relationship between socio-economic attributes and pipe-borne water characteristics as well as the contribution of four dimensions of access (availability, geographic, financial and acceptability). A total of 614 questionnaires were administered to residents of Calabar Metropolis using the systematic point sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and spatial techniques. Interpolated maps were used to show variations in pipe-borne water connection, use and expenditure. Results revealed no significant relationship between the number of persons in households sampled and average volume of water used daily by respondents (P = 0.144 > 0.05). There is also no significant relationship between average volume of water used daily and the income of respondents (p = 0.03 < 0.05). Furthermore, the average monthly expenditure on pipe-borne water by respondents in the Metropolis do not significantly relate with income (p = 0.0 < 0.05). The multi-nomial logistic regression analyses revealed that a combined effect of the model of availability, geographic, financial and acceptability significantly contributes to measuring access to pipe-borne water in the Metropolis, χ2(30) = 93.455, p < 0.001, with availability (p= 0.031 < 0.05) and financial (p = 0.001 < 0.05) dimensions faring better. It was recommended that Cross River State Water Board Limited should not only increase the volume of water supplied to residents but also ensure that more households are connected to the service. The frequency of water supply has to be up-surged as well, with the Board distributing the water in a systematic manner, and with consideration to existing spatial variations and measures of access which have proven to be fundamental to guarantee access to water.