Abstract:
The availability of numerous sources of water for consumption makes it
imperative to understand the factors that influences the choice of water sources.
This study seeks to determine households’ choice of water sources for domestic
consumption in Dodowa and Doryumu in Shai-Osudoku, District. The study
adopted the systematic and stratified sapling procedures. A sample of 300
households, 4 series of six-member focus group discussion and 5 key informants
were engaged in the study. The study employed logistic regression and multinomial
regression models and Water Poverty Index in the analyses. The results revealed
that for domestic water consumption, households focus on factors such as quality,
availability, affordability and accessibility to water sources. The study found that
age, educational level and households’ daily expenditure are significant and
positively related to the choice of improved water sources. In addition, married
couples are less likely to use boreholes and tanker services. However, dependency
ratio is negatively related to tanker services and positively associated with the use
of rain water. Upper Dodowa is the most water stressed community with the highest
water poverty index (0.053 minsl-1). Pipe-borne water is the preferred domestic
source. However, relatively large number of households cannot afford to pay for
the cost of connection. The study recommends that the Ministry of Sanitation and
Water Resources should collaborate with the Ghana Water Company Limited and
the District Assembly to come out with some kind of subsidy package to enable
households connect water directly to their homes. Further economic valuation of
willingness to pay for water supply infrastructure will facilitate the estimation of
realistic subsidies to improve access to water within the case study communities.
