Spatial Distribution of Public Potable Water Facilities Using GIS Technique in Misau Town, Bauchi State. Nigeria.

Abstract

In an attempt to achieve the target for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in respect of reducing halve the population without access to safe drinking water, developing countries require extra efforts to achieve this target. Misau town is an area that has inadequate pipe borne water supply due to breaking down of engines that pump the water and problems due to power supply (electricity). Other reliable sources of water are boreholes and well which also have the same problem due to improper construction and location. However, the geology of the area is a basement complex; as such the ground water is very deep.This paper presents an overview of GIS application to analyze the spatial distribution of public potable waterfacilities and to provide effective planning and distribution of water supply network. Thisstudy examine the spatial distribution of public potable water supply sources in Misau town with the intention of mapping out the supplying network, extension of the location of new facilities, depicts the pattern of the supply and analyze the area with high and low concentration and distributions of water facilities. In 2002 study was conducted by Ishaku Hamza (Geography Department Bayero University Kano) to analyze water supply problems in Misau Town and hence suggestions were made. However, there was little or no improvement in the distribution of public potable water in Misau Town. However the study shows thatIncrease in population and rapid expansion of Town are factors that result to inadequate supply and distribution of public potable water facilities in Misau Town, Bauchi State. I. INTRODUCTION Water is a critical resource. As human populations increase, careful management of our water supplies becomes ever more important, both to satisfy human needs and to protect the environments of other species. In Nigeria, availability of water controls the spatial distribution of populationsand Settlements, modern water supply networks are usually those situated along the major trade and transportation networks. All improved water supply in Nigeria is from public water supplies (Oyebande 2005). However, the pattern of water supply varies from one settlement to another, generally as the population of a settlement increases, the service efficiency to the expanding population will decreases. This usually creates the disparity in supply of water to different areas of the settlement. Access to clean water is a growing political issue around the world.In 1977, basic survival needs were stressed at the Mar del Plata conference, a major international effort to address world water problems organized by the United Nations. The issue of the right to basic water need was illustrated by the statement that "All people have the right to access drinking water in quantity and quality equal to their basic needs". As world population grow, the societies are challenged to provide clean water sanitation services of significant concern in meeting basic human and ecological needs for water, vital for survival and good health. Many societies struggle to allocate sufficient resources to meet those needs for all of their people. Access to safe and reliable supply and distribution of public potable water facilities is a major challenge in many communities in Nigeria. Human survival can be threatened not only by weapon, disease or starvation but also by lack of water. However the countries most recognize water as fundamental human rights. Hence, Water makes life possible as without it, life and civilization cannot develop or survive for human and economic development. GIS is a general-purpose technology for handling geographic data in digital form. Its abilities include: preprocessing data into a form suitable for analysis, supporting spatial analysis and modeling directly, and postprocessing results (Goodchild, 1993). GISs offer a spatial representation of water resource systems. Application of Geographical information system (GIS) in this study area provides a framework that will identify different types of water facilities in existence, Produce large scale facility map that will show the locations and distribution potable water facilities and to provide information that will help in improving the water facilities in Misau Town area of Bauchi State.