Domestic Water Utilization and Its Determinants in the Rural Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria Using Multivariate Analysis

Investigation into water utilization and its determinants in the rural areas is salient to a result-oriented management of this resource. Thus, a research was conducted to assess the pattern of domestic water uses and its determinant in the rural areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select 124 villages from 25 out of the 33 LGAs in Oyo State, Nigeria with 5 villages from each. Ten structured questionnaire were administered in each of the selected villages, giving a total of 1240 across the study area to generate data. The study revealed that water consumtion per head in the study area ranges between 15 litres/day in Shaki East and 31.7 litres/day in Oyo East LGA and that the dominant water consumption is absolutely domestic indicating that the study area is non-industrialized. Also, multivariate analysis conducted showed that 11 factors were determinants of domestic water consumption in the study area. These are water storage, cost of water, household size, water use for bathing, availability of alternative sources, location, reliability and accessibility of the source, distance, age of the respondent and gender composition. Multiple regression analysis of R2=35.0 for Oyo State indicated that each LGA should be treated individually when seeking solutions to water-related problems in the State. The study recommended detail survey on what determines water use in each LGA for a result-oriented water management. Effort is required of relevant agencies to embark on infrastructural and agricultural development in the area to boost water use.