Access to and management of portable water in the Ga West municipality

Abstract

The supply of potable water to the home is vital because water is a prerequisite for existence. Due to the growing scarcity of fresh water which is a result of increased needs for water, management becomes the essential component needed to ensure its sufficient and continuous supply. The Ga West Municipality faces the problem of inadequate potable water supply hence the need to manage the water resources available to them. The study was conducted to assess the mode of obtaining potable water and how the system of accessing it was managed. Data was gathered from a total of 274 respondents using questionnaires and interview guide. It was found that the major sources of water for households were river water, groundwater (wells and boreholes), harvested rainwater and imported tap/sachet water. As a management strategy, these sources were accessed in order to minimize cost, time and energy spent in accessing water. However, thirty percent of households tried to improve upon the water quality by using methods such as filtering and boiling before it is used in the home. Water required for each personal or domestic use must be safe. The District Water and Sanitation Team should educate community members on simple but effective methods of improving upon the quality of the available water sources to ensure efficient domestic utilization of available water sources and also encourage rainwater harvesting in larger quantities.