Factors Influencing Access To Domestic Water Supply Among Rural Communities: The Case Of Mwingi West Subcounty In Kitui County, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the access to domestic water supply among rural communities. The study was guided by the following research objectives i.e to examine the influence of distance from water sources on access to domestic water supply among the rural community in Mwingi West Sub County , to access the influence of cost of water to assess the influence of cost of water on access to domestic water supply among the rural community in Mwingi West Sub county ,to establish the influence of maintenance of supply systems on access to domestic water supply in Mwingi west sub county and to examine the influence of conflict due to competing uses on access to domestic water supply in Mwingi West Sub County The study employed a descriptive survey design aimed at analysing the factors influencing access to domestic water supply among the rural population in Mwingi West Sub-County. The study targeted rural community in Mwingi West Sub County(630), i.e five county government water officers, 25 water technical experts and 600 Households in Mwingi West Sub County. A total of 126 respondents participated in the study. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to obtain data from the respondents. The data was analysed per each piece of information and organised as per research questions ,coded the data and developed a code sheet .The data was analysed using statistical package for social sciences system (SPSS).For qualitative data, patterns or themes were indentified and for all the research questions data was analysed descriptively. The analysis showed that conflict has the strongest positive influence on access to water. In addition, Maintenance of supply systems are positively correlated to access to water. The correlation matrix implies that the independent variables: conflict and Maintenance of supply systems are very crucial determinants of access to water as shown by their strong and positive relationship with the dependent variable i.e. access to water. The study recommends that stakeholders such as the government, NGOs, community self help groups and faith based organizations should come up with strategies on how to improve water access to the rural community. These strategies may include Construction of more earth dams, drilling of bore holes, put in place more community water tanks at each household for harvesting rain water from the house roofs.