Public Perception of Potable Water Supply in Abeokuta South west, Nigeria

Abstract

The perception of residents towards the supply of potable water to  Abeokuta was assessed with the aid of questionnaire. Well-structured interviewer administered questionnaire were distributed across the city through the stratified random sampling method using the network  distribution map obtained from the Ogun State Water Corporation as guide. Sixty – eight per cent of the respondents attested that the quality of the water supplied was unsatisfactory while 36% agreed that they had contacted water related diseases as a result of the consumption of drinking water obtained from public taps. Sixty – five per cent of the respondents use less than 120 litres of water daily, while 77% attested that the water supplied did not meet their daily demand. Only 39% of the respondents who relied on water from alternative sources subjected the water to  treatment before usage. It was advised that issues of inadequate water supply and coverage area be addressed speedily and residents should subject water obtained from alternative sources to treatment. The  Corporation was also advised to pay attention to the state of infrastructure
across the distribution network.

KEYWORDS: questionnaire, quality, potable water, distribution network