Understanding the seasonal variations in access to improved water sources in Ghana: A call to action for policymakers

ABSTRACT Although studies have explored the link between seasonal change in water sources and health, there is limited evidence on the psycho-emotional impact of seasonal shifts in primary water sources, particularly in a country with two different ecological zones. The primary water source for each participating household was categorized by season, and overall changes in water sources and seasonality were explored using Fisher's exact test and Pearson chi-square test. Regarding seasonal changes, 90.3% of the study participants use safely managed water sources across the seasons. Only 7.4% (45) of households switched from safely managed water sources in the dry season to limited sources in the wet season. Similarly, 2% (12) of participants switched from safely managed water sources in the dry season to unimproved water sources in the wet season. The Chi-square test indicates a significant association between emotional distress and the type of water source used in the dry (χ2 = 35.6, df = 3, p = 0.00) and wet (χ2 = 37.8, df = 3, p = 0.00) seasons. Future interventions that aim to increase access to and use of safe drinking water must consider seasonality and climate change and develop infrastructure accordingly.