HOUSEHOLDS’ CHOICE OF WATER SOURCES FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION IN THE SHAI OSUDOKU DISTRICT, GHANA.

ABSTRACT The availability of numerous sources of water for consumption makes it imperative to understand the factors that influences the choice of water sources. This study seeks to determine households’ choice of water sources for domestic consumption in Dodowa and Doryumu in Shai-Osudoku, District. The study adopted the systematic and stratified sapling procedures. A sample of 300 households, 4 series of six-member focus group discussion and 5 key informants were engaged in the study. The study employed logistic regression and multinomial regression models and Water Poverty Index in the analyses. The results revealed that for domestic water consumption, households focus on factors such as quality, availability, affordability and accessibility to water sources. The study found that age, educational level and households’ daily expenditure are significant and positively related to the choice of improved water sources. In addition, married couples are less likely to use boreholes and tanker services. However, dependency ratio is negatively related to tanker services and positively associated with the use of rain water. Upper Dodowa is the most water stressed community with the highest water poverty index (0.053 minsl-1 ). Pipe-borne water is the preferred domestic source. However, relatively large number of households cannot afford to pay for the cost of connection. The study recommends that the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources should collaborate with the Ghana Water Company Limited and the District Assembly to come out with some kind of subsidy package to enable households connect water directly to their homes. Further economic valuation of willingness to pay for water supply infrastructure will facilitate the estimation of realistic subsidies to improve access to water within the case study communities.