Distribution and Access to Public Pipe-Borne Water in Urban Areas of West Africa: A Case of Ilorin-West Local Government Area, Nigeria

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the high rate of water scarcity in urban areas of developing countries and the achievement of SDG 6, this study evaluates the distribution and access to public pipe-borne water in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Nigeria. Coordinates of public water points in the area were obtained with the handheld Global Positioning System's device and mapped in the ArcGIS10.1 environment. To appraise residents’ satisfaction with the public water supply, one hundred and forty-six questionnaires were systematically administered to residents of the area. The obtained data were subjected to spatial and descriptive analysis. Nearest neighbour analysis was used to evaluate the distribution of water points in the area. There are 146 public pipe-borne water points in Ilorin West Local Government Area, distributed randomly (with NNR=1.2) without cognizance of the distribution of housing units. Consequently, residents are, among others, exposed to a reduction in productivity and loss of business opportunities. The study, among others, suggested the formulation and implementation of a house-to-point policy in the study area.