Water-availability assessment and corresponding public-health implications for a rural area in Nigeria

This paper presents a case study which describes water-availability problems and corresponding public-health implications for a rural area in Nigeria. A water-availability assessment was carried out in eight villages which are controlled by the Jalingo Local Government of Taraba State. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from sixty households (approximately 650 participants) concerning issues of water-supply sources, water quantity, water quality and community participation in water-resources projects. It was found that (i) community well water is the major source of water, (ii) 35% of the inhabitants depend on well water during the wet season, and (iii) 69% depend on it during the dry season. About 80% of the households have access to less than 30 litres of water per person per day and, because of low water availability, there is a prevalence of water-related diseases.