Factors influencing utilization of public toilet projects in Nakuru town, Nakuru county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors influencing utilization of the public toilets in Nakuru town as way of contributing knowledge to current and prospective investors on viewing public toilets as a profitable business. The objectives of the study were to determine to what extent location and design of the public toilet project influence utilization of the public toilet; to assess how marketing strategies influence the utilization of the public toilet project; to evaluate how socio-cultural factors influence utilization of public toilets and to assess how environment factors affect the utilization of public toilets. The study was conducted within the Nakuru Town and a sample of 180 respondents represented the population of the users of the public toilets in the town. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and a questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analysed through descriptive statistics especially the central tendencies measures. The findings of the study were that: location is not a key element in influencing; most toilets have a design not friendly to all; most toilets mainly relied on the sign posts outside the toilets to advertise; society approves on the important role of the public toilets; gender issue is a key aspect to be considered in the hiring of staff to work in these toilets and observance of proper environmental measures especially health measures and standards in the toilet usage were prioritized. The study concluded that the quality of the toilet service is essential despite the location of the toilet; there is need to incorporate more strategies to market the toilets; the toilet providers have a strong societal recognition of the toilets as a business thus need improve their vision of the toilets and there is a need to have health regulations displayed inside the toilets to enlighten the users of the toilets. It is recommended that future researchers should study on factors attracting investors to offer public toilet services in Nakuru town.