A Study of Access to Safe Drinking Water in Rural Upland and Coastal Communities of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Okon AJ; Olaniran ME; Kalu NS; Zacchaeus RE

Abstract

A Study of Access to Safe Drinking Water in Rural Upland and Coastal Communities of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Author(s): Okon AJ, Olaniran ME, Kalu NS, Zacchaeus RE

Reports are available that most rural communities in Akwa Ibom State have limited access to safe drinking water, and the few drinking water sources they have are usually heavily polluted. The aim of this study was to assess access to safe drinking water and the water quality of rural upland and coastal communities of Akwa Ibom State. With a cross-sectional design, 420 respondents were selected and administered questionnaires to obtain information on water sources and water supply facilities, followed by physico-chemical and bacteriological analyses of the surface water of the communities using standard procedures. Result shows that respondents in upland (83.33%) and coastal (58.10%) communities obtained water from improved water sources, 16.67% and 41.90% respectively obtained from unimproved sources, while it takes respondents in upland (30.48%) and coastal (51.43%) 15-30 min to and from their water sources. The physical parameters were either below or within the accepted standards in both dry and rainy seasons in the communities. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between upland and coastal water samples. The general pattern of metal concentration in dry season followed the sequence: Hg

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