Access to alternative water sources and perceptions of water service performance in Lukobe Ward, Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
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Date
2024-12-30
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Moshi Co-operative University(MoCU) / Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Drought and the consequent decline in water levels in dams, rivers, and streams have
exacerbated water shortages in the Morogoro Region. In some instances, residents receive
piped water only once or twice a week, often with low water pressure. This study was
conducted in Lukobe Ward, one of the areas in Morogoro Region that faces severe challenges
in accessing piped water. The article examines the accessibility of alternative water sources
and explores households’ perceptions of the performance of water service delivery in Lukobe
Ward, Morogoro Municipality. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and
utilised a mixed-methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.
Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Data were
gathered from 120 respondents through household surveys, key informant interviews, and
focus group discussions. Findings revealed significant differences in the distance to water
sources among the three streets studied (F = 19.965; P = 0.000). The overall mean distance
from households to water sources was 633.45 metres, with a standard deviation of 1015.77
metres. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between Lukobe Kambi
Tano and Lukobe Juu (P = 0.0581). Furthermore, a higher proportion of male respondents
(60.0%) reported spending less than 60 minutes fetching water compared to female
respondents (58.1%). The majority of households agreed that alternative water sources do
not adequately meet domestic needs. Based on the findings, the study concludes that access
to domestic water sources within the recommended 400 metres has not yet been achieved
for most households in Lukobe Ward. It is therefore recommended that the Morogoro
Municipal Council, through local government authorities, strengthen collaboration with key
stakeholders including financial institutions to enhance the enabling environment for
financing water and sanitation services in water-scarce communities.
Description
East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences (EAJ-SAS) Vol.6, No.2, pp. 32-42
Keywords
Water access, Alternative sources, Households’ perceptions, Morogoro region
Citation
https://journals.mocu.ac.tz/index.php/eaj-sas