Water Availability Challenges in Low-Income Areas of Agbowo Community, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is crucial to life. This has led to the inclusion of a specific water-related target in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study by World Health Organization (WHO) stated that about 663 million people worldwide have no adequate access to safe drinking water while UNICEF stated that about 65 million Nigerians have no access to safe water supplies. It is against this background that this study was conducted in Agbowo Community. The community has a high rate of economic poverty and poor living conditions. The study determined the gap between water supply and demand and enumerated physical and socio-economic variables that influence water availability. The study noted that a significant number of respondents expressed optimism despite the seriousness of the challenges and recommended massive remediation of the area as most of the water sources are contaminated by sewage.