Assessment of Challenges of Rural Water Supply in Yola-South Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study assessed challenges of rural water supply in Yola-South Local Government Area (LGA), Adamawa State, Nigeria. Two wards and a total of 100 households (50 from each ward) were selected through purposive and random sampling methods, respectively. Structured questionnaire, interview and group discussion were applied in the collection of data. Descriptive statistics was used in the data analysis. Results showed that the majority of the residents in Wuro-Modibbo and Lakare wards accounted for those that obtained water supply from well-water source, with 52.0% and 60.0%, respectively. Most of the respondents used head/hand in conveying water to their houses, with 52.0% and 54.0% for Wuro-Modibbo and Lakare wards, respectively. Also, across the board, the majority of households in the area had water supply from taps only once a week. Similarly, a larger chunk (54.0%) of the respondents experienced water scarcity throughout the year, with 40.0% and 32.0% of the residents in Wuro-Modibbo and Lakare wards, respectively, spending at least half an hour to obtain water from sources. Almost all the residents used water for household chores only, lamenting for less government and community interventions. It could be concluded that well-water was the major source of water supply in the area, with respondents fetching water on their heads or by hand. There was also a scarcity of water throughout the year. It is recommended that the government and communities should collaborate in making water infrastructure available for the sake of sustainability in the area.