Dynamics of domestic water supply and consumption in a semi-urban Nigerian city

A survey of water supply and consumption status in Nsukka Metropolis was done using questionnaires, interviews, observations and secondary data obtained from other sources. Water consumption was estimated using water balance principle. The water consumption per capita was found to be 34.9 L per day. At a cost of N0.81/L, this value represents 7% of average monthly income of residents. The price of water fluctuates from N0.45/L to N0.9/L during the rainy season and N0.9/L to N1.5/L in dry season, depending mostly on size of container. Those who own large water tanks ranging from 2273 L (500 gallons) upwards pay less than those who trek or drive long distance to fetch water in smaller containers. While more than 98% of the residents attain the average daily water need for survival (2.5 1pcd), only 27% attain the basic water need of 50 1pcd. The distribution of drinking water sources was as follows: boreholes (64%), sachet water (23%), rainwater (7%), tap water (3%) and bottled water (2%). It was further found that most people would prefer to drink bottled water but for its expensive cost of N106/L. About 55% of residents rely on rainwater for domestic use during the rainy season. However, as rain recedes, 78% rely almost exclusively on water vendors (tankers) for water supply. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.