FACTORS INFLUENCING AVAILABILITY AND SAFETY OF WATER TO RURAL COMMUNITIES IN KENYA: A CASE OF TIGANIA EAST SUB-COUNTY, MERU COUNTY
Ndahi Charles Wachira - Masters in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Prof. Timothy Maitho - University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The research project was focused on the area of Tigania East Sub-County of Meru County in Kenya. Inspite of the progress made in developing water infrastructures in the rural areas in Kenya, the envisaged level of water availability and safety have not been satisfactorily achieved. Water sources are sometimes few with inadequate water and located far from the homesteads of the water users. The water sources are mainly unsafe for consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing availability and safety of water to rural communities in Kenya; a case of Tigania East sub-County. The objectives of the study were to investigate what influences water availability for rural communities of Tigania East sub-County, to establish what influences safety of available water for the rural communities of Tigania East sub-County, to determine the influence of management practices adopted by the water management Board on the availability and safety of water to the rural communities of Tigania East Sub-County and to assess the extent of water scarcity caused by droughts experienced by the rural communities of Tigania East sub-County and the coping strategies they adopt. The study used a descriptive survey design and the theoretical frame work of this study was derived from the Administrative and Contingency theories of management. The target population of the study was 79,389 people of Tigania East Sub-County, who make 16,325 households, from where a sample size of 246 respondents was picked. The sample was picked using the stratified random sampling method. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data and 25 respondents were used for pilot testing before the commencement of the study and any detected errors in the data collection instruments were corrected. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and descriptive statistics computed. The data was presented using Tables and percentages. The study showed that 24.4% of the people accessed piped water and river water. The study found that the shortage of water is extreme. In the area of study, it was concluded that water scarcity is caused by droughts experienced by the rural communities of Tigania East sub-County. It was also concluded that management practices adopted by the water management Board influence the availability and safety of water to the rural communities of Tigania East Sub-County significantly. It was also concluded that the pollution of water sources affects the safety of the water available to the rural communities of Tigania East sub-County positively. It was also concluded that distances to water sources affects the availability of water to the rural communities of Tigania East sub-County positively. It is recommended that stakeholders such as the government, NGOs, community self-help group and faith based organization should come up with strategies on how to improve water access to the rural community. The results help staff of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to formulate strategies to address the water situation in Tigania East Sub-County.
