Application of water poverty index in assessing variation in water scarcity and stress in Katsina-Ala, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed water scarcity and stress in the twelve (12) council wards of Katsina-ala Local Government Area using indicators of water poverty; Resource, Access, Capacity, Use and Environment where chosen for the study based on data availability, applicability and relevance of such indicators in the study area. Questionnaires, interview, field observation and field measurement where employed for data collection. The study adopted the composite approach where the components of indicators were systematically integrated to provide the final scores of the water poverty index with 100 indicating the least water poverty and 0 indicating the highest level of waster poverty. Result of the final computation of water poverty index of the council wards indicates that, six (6) council ward; Tiir, Iwar, Utange, Mbayong, Mbatula and Mbagir council wards where classified under severe water poverty; Mbacher, Ikurav-Tiev I and II and Yooyo were classified under high water poverty; Mchihe was classified as having medium water poverty while Kastina-Ala Township was classified as having low water poverty. Based on result of the study, it was recommended that more research using many other relevant indicators should be carried out in the area and more water intervention programs should be carried out in the council wards to ameliorate the water scarcity situation in the study area.