Issues of Access to and Utilization of Project Services amongst Communities with the EU-MPP6 Water Supply and Sanitation Projects in Imo State, Nigeria

Despite the existence of a number of water and sanitation facilities, access to water supply and sanitation in Nigeria has remained a problem. This study examines communities’ access to the European-Union Micro-Projects Programme (EU-MPP6) water supply and sanitation projects in Imo State, Nigeria and equally examines the communities’ utilization of the projects’ services. For the study primary data were collected from the key staff of the European Union Micro Projects Program and at the household level. Using distance, time and money as major determinants of access, the study revealed that there is considerable reduction in time spent fetching water (less than 1 hour), distance travelled to fetch water (less than 401metres), and households pay nothing most times for water fetched. Households collect above 20 litres from water points daily, and much of what is collected is for the purpose of drinking. Multiple regression model and the students’t test statistical tools were used in testing the central hypothesis. Result of the test indicated that, there is a significant relationship between the access of the communities to the EU-MPP6 water supply and sanitation projects and the communities’ utilization of the project services in Imo State. Presently, the people of the benefitting communities travel shorter distances to access greater quantity of water as a result of the presence of the EU-MPP6 water supply and sanitation projects. The significant difference that is exhibited by the access of the benefitting communities to the projects is an indication of the projects’ effectiveness in Imo State, Nigeria. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n6p239