Assessment of accessibility to safe water and sanitation in Bẹẹrẹ community, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria

Globally, access to improved water and sanitation is crucial for a healthy, productive life, and environmental sustainability. However, disparities in access to potable water and adequate sanitation facilities remain a challenge in developing nations. Therefore, this study assessed the accessibility of safe water and sanitation in the Bẹẹrẹ community of Ìbàdàn, Nigeria. Water-sanitation-and-hygiene (WASH) and sustainable livelihoods provided the framework. This study adopted a mixed-method research design that employed qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study population comprised all households. A total of 381 buildings within the Bẹẹrẹ community boundary were obtained using the Google Earth and Geographic Information System (GIS). The head of a household in each of the 381 buildings was randomly selected. Data collected through questionnaires and direct observations were descriptively analyzed. The findings revealed that the average age of household heads was 49±12years, with an average income of N45,100 ± N10,400, and had a household size of 8–11 people. Their major source of water was wells (43.4%), while they (46.2%) rarely had access to clean drinkable water. The majority (87.8%) testified to water shortages yearly, and (83.2%) used unhealthy sanitation methods. The major challenges identified were financial constraints, lack of facilities, and illiteracy/behavioral issues. Therefore, there should be an institutional and communal-led sanitation program coupled with environmental education that will foster the expansion and rehabilitation of water infrastructure and promote behavioral changes in hygiene and sanitation practices to support the Bẹẹrẹ community's transition to sustainable livelihoods.